Parish life: what we do
The Mass is both the basis and summit of parish life, but what we do in the rest of our lives is of great importance too, so we would like to share with you what we do as a parish:
Within the parish there are many activities, reflecting the diversity of our community. We welcome the contributions of all parishioners to the life of the parish, so if you would like to get involved in any of the activities below, please contact the relevant person. If there is something you feel passionate about, but it isn’t currently addressed, then please speak to the PPC and/or Father Claro.
Supporting the parish
Parish Pastoral Committee (PPC)
The Parish Pastoral Committee helps the parish priest to coordinate the efforts of the parish in terms of the religious education of the children and youth, charitable giving, coordination with the other churches in Faringdon, and with other Catholic parishes in the area and the diocese. If you would like to join the PPC please contact Father Claro. If you want to see in greater detail what they get up to you can find their minutes on the parish website here.
Finance & Maintenance Committee
This committee deals with the nuts and bolts of keeping the church building upright, the lights on, the heating working, the parish finances in good order and the myriad other things needed to keep “the show on the road”. If you would like to join the Finance & Maintenance Committee please contact Father Claro. If you want to see in greater detail what they get up to you can find their minutes on the parish website here .
Website
A huge thanks to Neill Taylor for being the webmaster of the parish and for curating our website and the parish email list. While Neill is extremely capable, we are sure he would welcome some assistance so if you are technologically gifted, please contact him (webmaster@blessedhugh.org.uk).
Church Hall
The church hall is a huge boon to the parish. We have tea and coffee here after Mass, it is used for the children’s liturgy, the parish youth group and other parish activities, and it is also available for hire. See here for information. The hire is ably coordinated by Sue Cole (scole1951@aol.com ), who also coordinates the volunteers who make the tea and coffee after Mass. If you would like to volunteer for the tea and coffee rota, please contact Sue.
Newsletter
The parish newsletter comes out each week, with the readings and hymns for the Sunday Mass, Mass times during the week, reflections on the week’s readings, and all manner of other information. It can be found here. The newsletter is put together by Maria Cupit. If you would like to assist Maria in editing and formatting the newsletter, please let her know.
Worship
Choir & musicians
We have a good musical tradition at Blessed Hugh Faringdon, with our own setting of the Mass, and the majority of Masses are partially sung. The choir lead in the singing of hymns, but the congregation is never excluded. The choir also provide cantors to lead the responsorial psalm. We also have an organ, and an excellent team of musicians. You can find further information about this here . This is all ably organised by our choirmaster, Sjoerd Vogt. Please contact Sjoerd if you would like to be involved (sjoerd@vogt.org.uk ).
Readers
We are blessed with a relatively large cadre of readers given the size of the parish, but we are always looking for more. Training can be provided, if required. As well as being our choirmaster, Sjoerd Vogt also organises the readers rota. Reading at Mass can deepen your appreciation of Scripture and your involvement with the Mass. If you interested in reading, please contact Father Claro.
Altar servers
Many of the parish’s young people serve on the altar, but new servers are always welcome. It is an excellent way for teenagers, especially, to feel more involved. Please contact the sacristan, Denise Cocquerel, if you (or your child) is interested (01367 242106).
Holy Hour
An hour of prayer, contemplation and Eucharistic adoration. Every Friday at 11.00 in the church. All welcome.
St George’s, Buckland
Previously the parish had two churches, Blessed Hugh Faringdon in Faringdon and St George’s in Buckland. The latter is now in private hands, but by kind permission of the current owners Mass is held there approximately monthly. Please see the newsletter for details of upcoming Masses. (Buckland has a long history of Catholicism, persisting in the faith even through the era of persecution. You can read about it here).
Instructing the young (and not so young)
Children’s liturgy
During the Liturgy of the Word, children aged 5-11 are warmly invited to go to the church hall to study the Gospel and other readings for that day in a way tailored to helping them understand. At least two tutors are required each week. All those involved are required to have a DBS check. If you would like to be involved please contact Kathleen Thomas (kalizt@btinternet.com ) or Lorraine Brabin (lorraine.brabin1@nhs.net ).
First Holy Communion preparation
Preparation classes for First Holy Communion occur every other year. There are currently classes underway for children receiving their First Holy Communion is 2023. Please contact Father Claro if you would like your child to receive First Holy Communion.
Confirmation preparation
Preparation classes for the sacrament of Confirmation occur every other year. 15 young people from the parish were confirmed in 2022. Please contact Father Claro if you (or your child) would like to be confirmed.
Parish youth group
The parish youth group meets every Friday evening led by Helena Boakye and Nicole Kamugishan. They explore what it means to be a disciple of Christ in today’s world with discussion, prayer, song and lots of fun. Suitable for young people aged 11-18. Please contact Helena (helenaboakye76@gmail.com ) or Nicole (kamugishan@hotmail.com )if you/your child would like to attend.
Bible study group
Something for all ages! The Bible study group meet over Zoom each Monday evening 8-9 p.m., to discuss and reflect on the readings for the coming Sunday. You can find the link on the parish website home page .
Bringing comfort
Eucharistic ministers
Responsible for the assisting the priest in the distribution of Communion, they can also take the Blessed Sacrament to the housebound. This is a huge comfort to those who cannot get to Mass, and a great source of spiritual sustenance to them. If you would like to become a Eucharistic minister, please speak to Father Claro.
Visiting the housebound
As well as the Eucharistic ministers, various individual parishioners visit the sick and housebound. If you are a parishioner who is no longer able to attend Mass, but would like to remain in touch with the life of the parish, please contact us through this form or by emailing Father Claro or phone (01367 358895)
Lifts to Mass
Lifts to Mass can be arranged for those unable to drive/use public transport, through the PPC. You can approach a member of the PPC in person, or contact us through this form or phone (01367 358895)
Ukrainian refugees
Several parishioners are hosting Ukrainian families displaced by the war in Ukraine, and several Ukrainian refugee families regularly attend Mass at Blessed Hugh. We are happy too to have been able to have our church hall used for events for all the Ukrainians currently resident in Faringdon, and to have worked to support other churches in Faringdon in their service to the refugees.
Feeding the hungry
CAFOD
The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development is the English branch of Caritas Internationalis, the Catholic aid agency. CAFOD reachs out to people living in poverty with practical help, whatever their religion or culture. The parish branch of CAFOD is active, with the Advent cake sale drawing return visitors each year, parish volunteers walking or running 200km each Lent and generous donations from each Family Fast Day. To get involved please contact JP Crilly (jp.crilly.vet@gmail.com) or Paul Padley (paul.n.padley@outlook.com ).
Faringdon Food Bank
Individual parishioners assist at the food bank, and there is a basket for donations within the narthex of the church. We are happy to support the food bank through Churches Together in Faringdon.
Food sharing
An ad-hoc, but very pleasing aspect to parish life is the sharing of the work of people’s kitchens, gardens and allotments.
Parishioners with surplus fruit and vegetables will often bring them on Sundays, “free to a good home” to avoid wasting the precious gift of fresh food.
We have also had the chance to try traditional Filipino, Vietnamese and Ukrainian food, as well as the occasional Full English breakfast after Mass on certain occasions throughout the year.
Fairtrade stall
Several parishioners are involved in the Mustard Seed shop in Faringdon, and courtesy of the Mustard Seed we have a Fairtrade stall selling all manner of mainly delicious goods (the wooden children’s toys are charming, but not edible), several times a year.
Joining with our brothers & sisters in Christ
Churches Together in Faringdon
We work together with the other churches in Faringdon, both in charitable enterprises and for ecumenical services, most notably the Advent service and the sunrise service on Easter Day held on the top of Folly Hill. The parish’s current representative on the Churches Together in Faringdon council is Paul Padley (paul.n.padley@outlook.com ).
Our sister diocese- Bamenda, Cameroon
The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth has been twinned with the Archdiocese of Bamenda in Cameroon since 1974. We hold special collections for Bamenda, and several parishioners have visited it over the years.