The Sick: The Diocese, on advice and under Data Protection Regulations (May 2018), asks us not to name individuals, but to pray for them as a group within the Parish Body as those in particular need.
Recently Dead: Lisa Gazzi, Jennifer Curran Anniversaries: Betty Brown, James Daly, Mary Greasley, Fr David Morland OSB
HOME COMMUNIONS If you require Holy Communion at home, please contact John Ridge: [email protected], Fr Kentigern or Fr Bernard either by e-mail or leave a telephone message by 8.00pm on Friday evening stating whether you require a weekly visit or a one-off call. Someone will then be in contact to arrange a suitable day and time to visit.
SATURDAY EVENING REFRESHMENTS Refreshments after Saturday Vigil Mass on 11th October in St Benedict’s Hall. Come and meet your fellow parishioners!
MIDDLESBROUGH FOODBANK The next delivery will take place on Tuesday 14 October. Deadline for donations 12.00pm Monday 13 October.
EASY FUNDRAISER Do you regularly shop online? Did you know you could support your church at the same time? For more information speak to Tracey in the Parish Office and see information leaflets in the Hall.
WORLD COMMUNITY OF CHRISTIAN MEDITATION Meets each week: Mondays at 2pm - 3pm in St Benedict’s Church Hall: contact Mary Sturges Thursdays at 8pm - 8 45pm on Zoom: contact David and Sue Walsh Should you wish to join either group contact Mary Sturges 01439788563.
CHRISTIAN MEN OF THE VALLEY Meet each Monday at 8.00pm to share faith, friendship and interests.
FABRIC PROJECTS Works have cost £35000. To date, we have received £1292.67 in fabric donations. All contributions to these costs will be gratefully received.
HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY Mr Wilding has rejoined the team of lay chaplains at York Hospital. He has produced an information sheet about this ministry, including details of how to contact a chaplain and arrange a visit to a loved one in hospital. You will find these notes at the back of church.
CAFOD Donate to CAFOD’s Israeli-Palestinian Crisis Appeal at cafod.org.uk/ipc or call 0303 303 3030. or to the Sudan Crisis Appeal: cafod.org.uk/SudanAppeal or call: 0808 58 588 85.
PARKING Could I encourage as many as possible on Saturday Evening or Sunday Morning to use the parking available off St Hilda’s Walk – below the allotments or in the Doctor’s Surgery. This will help to prevent the congestion building up on West End during the weekend.
YOUTH 2000 Robert Toone completed a triathlon on Sat 13th September, swimming 1.9km, cycling 90km and running a half marathon (21km) to raise money for Youth 2000. Founded in 1990, Youth 2000 has helped tens of thousands of young people experience God’s love and many credit Youth 2000 as part of the reason they have met their spouse or decided to pursue a vocation to religious and consecrated life or priesthood. All one-off donations will be matched by a generous donor and if you decide to give monthly the first 12 monthly gifts will be doubled. Here is the fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/roberttoone70-3 Or search Robert Toone on www.justgiving.com Or see him in Church or donate via the Church Office.
COFFEE AND CRAFTING Each Thursday 2 October (10.15am – 12.30pm) those interested are invited to a new initiative in St Benedict’s Parish Hall. Come bring any crafting you’d like and join others in sharing skills and social time. All ages welcome (children to be supervised at all times by parents).
MISSIO Thank you to everyone who helped to make Fr Emmanuel’s visit a joyful and fruitful one. Opportunities to continue support for Mission remain, especially with World Mission Sunday coming 18/19 October.
Our Lady & St Benedict’s St Vincent de Paul Conference. Meets fortnightly on Mondays. A lay catholic society which has been running for over 150 years in England and Wales, aims to meet the needs of the poor and vulnerable wherever and whoever they may be, by befriending or supporting either financially or emotionally. The main aim of its members is to seek out people in need and to help them through person-to-person contact, at a local level. The need might be one of financial hardship, or sudden family crisis, of loneliness, of disability or of bereavement, or simply the need to see a friendly face for someone who is housebound. We, as Christians, are all called to have concern for the deprived and the poor and the SVP gives us the opportunity to turn that concern into action. There are many aspects to the society both local, national and international, too many to detail here. More information can be found on www.svp.org.uk or from one of our conference members. In being a member, not only are you part of an organisation that brings help and comfort to many, but by fulfilling your Christian calling to look after the poor and marginalised, many rewards are received in return. We are very keen to meet anyone who is interested in becoming a member or who would like to find out more, or if anyone who feels that the SVP can help them. Please speak to Mary Borrett (07732786643) Mary Godwin, Patricia Leonard or Fr Bernard.
SAFEGUARDING SURVEY The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) has recently launched a survey aimed at victims and survivors, with a particular focus on how dioceses and Religious Life Groups (RLGs) respond to those who have suffered abuse. The primary focus is on those who have had contact with a RLG or Church since July 2024 in relation to this abuse. At Ampleforth Abbey, we are keen to encourage survivors and victims to contribute to this survey so that their experiences can help to make a meaningful and positive difference to the support that Churches and Religious Life Groups can offer. More information about this initiative and a link to the survey can be found on our website, where you can also read more about our commitment to safeguarding and supporting survivors of abuse: https://www.ampleforthabbey.org.uk/cssa-survey A SECOND SURVEY You may already have seen the Public Call for Information – Survivor Engagement in the Catholic Church survey (ABOVE) which is currently being shared in churches and Religious Life Groups (RLGs) on behalf of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA). The CSSA are now asking every diocese and RLG to help them share a new survey inviting everyone engaged with the Catholic Church, including Clergy, Religious (Consecrated Life), Parish Safeguarding Representatives, Employees, Volunteers and Parishioners to contribute their experiences. The aim of this survey is to better understand how the Catholic Church engages with Survivors. While it is unlikely that many of you will have had direct contact with survivors through your work for AAT, it remains a core part of our wider safeguarding work. Some key elements of this work are summarised here:
We ensure that all staff receive training on how to respond to disclosures or allegations.
We have a Survivor Working Group who meet through the year to review cases, levels of contact and support for survivors. This group includes a member of the monastic community, and external specialists with experience of working with survivors.
We have a contract with Survive York where we fund therapeutic support for survivors when we refer them to their organisation, or when they self-refer.
We work closely and openly with external agencies and the Non-Recent Abuse Investigations Team (NRAIT) to support victims and survivors.
We offer face to face meetings with the Abbot or other members of the monastic community.
We alert survivors to our Complaints Policy and to the fact that they are entitled to make a claim for compensation, we also signpost them to the Abbot's key messages and commitment to safeguarding on our website.
METHODIST ASYLUM PROJECT - MIDDLESBROUGH There is some progress with the possibility of re starting our involvement with the Asylum Seekers in Middlesbrough. The hope is that the more Central Methodist building will be able to be used as the venue and we will be invited to bring donations the last Wednesday in NOVEMBER, in time for Christmas. All these plans are tentative, at the moment, but this information could be published as you think fit. Confirmation of how we could be involved will be available in November. Donations should be kept until then. Mary Sturges 01439788563
PARISH COMMUNITY BARBECUE A big thank you to all who came to our Parish and School barbecue. The rain held off and parents, children and parishioners enjoyed getting together. The tombola, donations and Lucky Dip raised £114 for the Parish. Special thanks to the children for their brilliant welcome banner and to those who helped set up/ man the stalls/ cook/ clear away afterwards: your work is greatly appreciated!
ADVANCE WARNING Sunday 9 November is Remembrance Sunday. Mass will be at 9.00am. The Remembrance Service at OLSB will begin at about 10.30am
CAFOD HARVEST FAST DAY - FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER Thank you to those who have so far donated to the Family Fast Day parish collection to share God’s abundant gifts with our global neighbours as they find lasting solutions to poverty and climate challenges. Your generosity offers “signs of hope” in this Jubilee Year, helping build more water tanks in communities like Waré’s in Ethiopia where women have to walk for hours to get water. Use the CAFOD envelope in church, donate online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call 0303 303 3030. You can also text CAFOD to 70560 to donate £10. Or use the following QR Code: Parish Appeal video for Facebook post and/or showing in church There is a short parish video: https://vimeo.com/1115554004/a2a29b6d82. Opportunity will continue for another week or so.
HARVEST SERVICES ST HILDA, AMPLEFORTH: Friday 17th October 7.00 p.m. – followed by Harvest Supper in the Village Hall – tickets £10 HOLY CROSS, GILLING: Friday 24th October 6.30 p.m. – followed by refreshments in the church.
BABY LOSS MEMORIAL SERVICE Have you suffered the loss of a baby recently or some time ago? If you would like to mark your loss, offer prayers, and light a candle, please come along to a special memorial service to be held at: ST OSWALD’S CHURCH OSWALDKIRK at 7.00 p.m. on Monday 13th October All welcome A Service of Remembrance for All Souls The Benefice of Ampleforth, Oswaldkirk, Gilling East & Stonegrave and the Parish of Our Lady & St Benedict warmly invite you to a Service of Remembrance for All Souls at 7.00pm, on Monday 3 November 2025 in the church of St Hilda, Ampleforth. At this simple service of readings, hymns and prayers our departed loved ones will be remembered by name and a symbolic candle of remembrance lit. If you would like someone’s name remembered, please contact Rev James Trowsdale [email protected]
THE CHURCH OF ST HILDA AND THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY AND ST BENEDICT Rev James & Fr Kentigern invite you to join them for COMMUNITY PRAYERS 10.00am Monday 13 October – Our Lady & St Benedict Monday 27 October – St Hilda Monday 10 November – Our Lady & St Benedict Monday 24 November – St Hilda Monday 8 December – Our Lady & St Benedict Monday 22 December – St Hilda Followed by refreshments and fellowship
MASS FOR HEALING Tuesday 14 October at 11.45am in the Chapel of the Bar Convent
THE ALPHA COURSE Continues on Wednesdays at 7.00pm in Gilling Village Hall All welcome.
ALL SAINTS CHILLI NIGHT Saturday 1 November in St Benedict's Church Hall. Tickets £10.00 for Adults, £7.00 for children
FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF THE RENEWAL On Friday 24 October, they will be leading a Retreat Day at St Benedict's School. On Saturday 25 October they will lead a morning of worship music and song, including Adoration. All Welcome.