Social Action Advisers
Specialist Adviser: Fiona Reader
Priest Adviser: Awaiting Appointment.
Office: DABCEC
Caritas - Social Action
The Catholic Bishops Conference Social Action webpage can be found at
www.caritas-socialaction.org.uk
Becoming a Fairtrade Diocese
Racial Justice Charter
Asylum Seekers
Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group
At any one time there are over 120 immigration detainees held at Tinsley House, Gatwick. The Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group visit as many as they can, and are always looking for volunteer support and funds and monetary donations for their destitution fund. They also collect toiletries and clothing that make life a little more bearable in detention. GDWG are recruiting volunteers twice a year. Contact Pascale Noel Co-ordinator of GDWG on 01293 434350 or visit the website for more information on www.gdwg.org.uk
Walking with the stranger: sharing bread, sharing the story
A weekend residential retreat, April 13th to 15th, at Worth Abbey, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 4SB. This retreat is for Christians working is for Christians working in any way with those who come to seek asylum, and is led by Fr. Paul Fleetwood, OSB, and Mary Jane Burkett. In our time together we will have opportunities for silent reflection and prayerful reading of the scriptures, prayer in common, and sharing our experiences of our work.
Contact: Rosemary Sanders: 01342710318
toc@worthabbey.net
DIOCESAN PASTORAL CARE SERVICE FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE
Director and Chaplain:
The Rev. I. Byrnes
Pastoral Co-ordinator:
Suzanne Line
Deaf Service Office, The Presbytery, Guilford
Diocesan Committee for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People:
Chair: Mrs. Maria Booker, 3 Sandy Vale, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RHI6 4JH.
Tel: Haywards Heath (01444) 451381. [Voice and Minicom].
The pastoral service reaches out to hearing-impaired people by creating an awareness to their needs. This can be done by each one of us when we meet people who are hard-of-hearing. Maybe we need to pluck up a little more courage to speak to someone who is hard-of-hearing when we see them in church or meet them when we are out shopping.
Outside the Diocese we work together with the national and regional teams of the RC Service for Deaf People.
Signed Masses
the readings, prayers and hymns are specially prepared so they can be signed and understood by all. Some of our deaf people celebrate with sign the prayers and readings as we focus on the Word of God.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Housing Justice
Website of Housing Justice, the U.K. housing and homelessness charity formed by the merger of the Catholic Housing Aid Society CHAS and Churches National Housing Coalitition CNHC
www.housingjustice.org.uk
The Apostleship Of The Sea
www.stellamaris.net
Diary 2007
March 25 200th Anniversary of the passing of the bill to abolish the slave trade in the British Colonies. A 'Set all Free' Resource pack is available for £10.00 + P + P. Order from www.setallfree.net
or phone 0870 444 1994
July 20 - 22 2007 'Called to be Peacemakers' 29th Annual Justice and Peace Conference Organised by the National Justice and Peace Network with Pax Christi and Fellowship of Reconciliation. Hayes Conference Centre – Swanwick – Derbyshire. For Booking Form/Information Contact the NJPN Administrator 39, Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1BX Tel: 020 7901 4864
The Relationship Between Social Action and Justice and Peace
See article by Fiona Reader on page 5 published in April 2007 A&B NEWS.
Religious Instruction
We have a sacramental programme for R C. children at the deaf schools in Brighton / Ovingdean Mrs Patricia Alcock and Sr Walthera visit these schools regularly. School.
Scripture Study
We have a regular study session for our diocesan deaf group in St George's Parish, Hove. Fr David Weston has kindly allowed us to use his presbytery for our monthly sessions, for which we are most grateful. This scripture study provides a first opportunity to learn more about the Bible, as most deaf people have had very little religious education. The programme is produced and led by Sister Walthera.
Peter Booker, a member of this group, also attends the study course at Westminster Cathedral Deaf Centre which leads to the CCRS. The course is produced and led by 2 deaf priests - Fr Peter McDonough and Paul Fletcher S.J. In November Peter Booker will make the Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with this Westminster Scripture Study Deaf Group.
These two scripture study courses are given in sign language.
Parish Awareness Raising
Sister Walthera is happy to visit any parish group interested to know about 'deaf awareness'
HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY ADVISOR
Rev D. Foley
THE CATHOLIC CHILDREN'S SOCIETY
The Catholic Children's Society is the Church's professional child care Organisation in the three Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, Portsmouth and Southwark.
Visit the Catholic Childrens Society Webpage at www.cathchild.org
The Society has residential homes for children and young people including the Littichampton Residential Homeflnding Unit within the Diocese. It offers counselling to parents faced with the decision to bring up children, or opt for adoption. It arranges adoption of infants and of children with special needs and prepares older children, deprived of their family life, for a new permanent family. Advice and help is given to families with members who have disabilities. It has an educational programme offered to Catholic Schools to help make children more aware of and sympathetic to the less fortunate around them and more appreciative of the value of stable family life.
Director: Mr. Terence Connor, M.A.
Chaplain: Rev. Peter Madden.
Head Office, 49 Russell Hill Road,
Purley, Surrey CR2 2XB.
Tel: 020 8668 2181.
Fax: 020 8763 2274.
