About Us : Parish Directory
Skip indexWelcome to St.Patrick's Parish
Dear Parishioners,
I am delighted to introduce our second Parish Directory from the Parish Council.
This Directory keeps us up to date with what is happening in our Parish community. It's also a valuable guide and directory for new Parishioners.
On behalf of the Parish Council we thank you all for your support and involvement in St.Patrick's Parish and particularly thank you to all the people who give so much of their time to all the various groups and activities.
We would appreciate any comments or suggestions for our next edition, so please tell us what you think.
Take care, Fr. Jimmy Browne
Contacts
All the people in this Directory may be contacted c/o the parish via the parish e-mail.
Afternoon Club
The club meets every fortnight on a Wednesday in the Parish Centre from 2.00 to 4.00 pm. Members are mostly senior citizens. In-house activities, speakers, trips and social activities are arranged. Membership is open to all. Contact Kay Shorten.
Altar Servers
Instruction and training for boys and girls is available once they have taken their First Holy Communion. Contact Mark Boland if you wish to know more.
Association for the Propagation of the Faith and Mill Hill Missionaries
Parishioners support their work in developing countries by contributing through a Mission Box at home. For further details contact Sharon Hurst.
Baptism
If you would like your child baptised please contact Fr. Jimmy for more information about Baptism Courses and preparation.
Bazaars and Fayres
These are held in the Summer and towards Christmas. They are major fund raising and social events raising around £7,000 per year. Stallholders, helpers and new ideas are always welcome.
Bidding Prayers
Readers for the Bidding Prayers are always required. If you would like your name to be placed on our rota please contact Mary Fortey.
Catholic Children's Society
The Catholic Children's Society raises money using home collection boxes to support their adoption work and the support of families in a wide variety of ways. If you would like to know more about the Society's work or keep a box in your home, contact Ruth Doherty. Last year the boxes and crib donations raised over £894.00.
Children's Liturgy
Our Children's Liturgy takes place each Sunday in the Prayer Room during the 10.30 am Mass and all children are welcome. The children leave Church after the entrance hymn and return during the offertory. For further information please contact Pauline Chester.
Child Protection
As a result of the Nolan Report there are now established Child Protection Procedures in our Diocese and our Child Protection Officer for St.Patrick's Parish is Yvonne Fernandes. Yvonne works for Social Services. If you have any concerns about Child Protection in our Parish please contact Yvonne Fernandes.
Choir
The choir contributes significantly to music at the 10.30 am Sunday Mass and other special occasions on request. Enthusiasm is more important than a perfect voice. Singers and musicians are always welcome. We meet briefly after Sunday Mass for practice and also other times to suit members and you will always be made very welcome. Please see Kath Gambin after 10.30 am Sunday Mass.
Church Cleaning
We have a number of teams who keep our Church clean, but new people are always welcome. If you would like to join a team please contact Mary Fortey.
Church Flowers
Volunteers are always needed to help with flowers. No previous experience is necessary - as long as you can put a bunch of flowers in a vase you will always be welcome! Our busiest times are Easter and Christmas and extra help is always appreciated at this time. The flowers are funded by donations and coffee mornings. Please contact Mary Mapletoft.
Church Grounds
We are very lucky that Pat Whelan and John Smith devote their time voluntarily and we are very grateful that they give their time to look after the grounds. There are times when we need a "clean up" for special events and if you are willing to help please contact Pat Whelan.
Churches Together
St.Patrick's is part of Anstey Churches Together and Northwest Leicester Churches Together and we all meet at various times during the year to celebrate joint Ecumenical Services. For more information contact Kate Wadkin or Joyce Percy.
Communications Group
If you are interested in helping to promote the work of our Parish and Parish Groups, developing links with our Catholic Schools, other Churches and the local community, or in designing flyers, tickets etc. please contact Pat Dean for more information about this Group.
Computer
If you are involved in any of the Parish activities and you wish to produce any information or have any typing, we have facilities available in the Presbytery where you can use the Parish Computer and photocopier. Please contact Mary Fortey.
Confirmation
Confirmation takes place every two years and our next Confirmation will be in 2008.
Dances
These are organised three or four times a year at the Parish Centre - please see the weekly newsletter and posters. There is also a weekly session every Sunday evening in the Parish Centre for Irish Set Dancing. Please see Lily O'Brien, Jo Edwards or Rosaleen Duddy.
Eucharistic Ministers
We have twenty-five Eucharistic Ministers in our Parish helping with the Ministry of taking Communion to the sick and also taking Eucharistic Services in the Church and assisting with the distribution at the Masses. If you know of anybody who is sick and cannot make Mass through illness, or is housebound, please contact Fr. Jimmy and it can be arranged for Communion to be brought to them at home. Contact Fr. Jimmy or Lydia Pye.
First Holy Communion
Janet Washington and Mary Fortey run our First Holy Communion programme for the children of the Parish each year. This group meets between January and May on a Saturday morning to support the children being prepared for First Confession and First Holy Communion, together with their parents. An active Parish based programme is organised annually and works in conjunction with St.Patrick's Catholic Primary School which most of the children attend.
Fund Raising
Gift Aid
Holidays
If you are going on holiday, there are Directories giving details of all Catholic Churches together with Mass times in the UK available from the Presbytery.
Hospitals
All hospitals have a Catholic Chaplain. If you would like a Priest to visit you the hospital can arrange this for you.
Hospitality
Hospitality is a priority in our Parish. We have a rota of hospitality teams to welcome people at all the Masses. If you would like to be part of this team to welcome people in the Church, especially new people and make them feel welcome, please contact Bernadette Lant.
Interest Groups
If you would like to be involved in any of the Interest Groups in our Parish, or you feel there are any areas for development or new groups to be set up, please contact Jane Morgan who will be pleased to discuss your ideas and suggestions.
Justice and Peace
We have a very active Parish Justice and Peace Group meeting on a regular basis. This group focuses on Justice and Peace issues locally, nationally and worldwide. They are also an umbrella group for CAFOD, Christian Aid, Amnesty International and Jubilee Action. They have a Fair Trade Stall after all Masses on the third Sunday of each month and hold two or three fund raising functions each year to raise money for the Parish Charity. If you would like more information or would like to be part of our group please contact Nancy Gallyot.
Legion of Mary
This Organisation meets in the Church on Monday mornings after Mass. Weekly prayers, meetings, discussion, visits to the sick and a wide variety of other services are included in their activities. See Appendix 3
Liturgy Group
We have an innovative and developing Liturgy Group who meet on a regular basis. We plan all our special Masses for Lent, Easter, Advent and Christmas and other special Liturgies during the year. In our Liturgy preparation we involve people who help us to prepare artwork, creativity, church décor, help with the reading, music etc. If you feel you would like to be involved please contact Joy Leggett.
Marriage
If you are thinking of getting married, please contact Fr. Jimmy for details of marriage preparation.
Music Group
The music group, Sham-Rock, play every second Saturday of the month at the 6.30 pm Mass. Contact Christian O'Brien, via the Presbytery, for bookings or individual requests. If anyone is interested in playing alternate weeks please contact Fr. Jimmy.
Newspapers
A selection of Catholic Newspapers is available. If you are interested please contact Joyce Percy.
Parish Centre
The running of the Parish Centre is overseen by the Parish Centre Committee, chaired by Mark Boland. Maurice Shretten "caretake" the premises for us and Michelle, Claire and Micheal run the bar - again we welcome new people to give their support.
The Parish Centre is available for functions and for family celebrations and parties. Please contact Mary Fortey for details.
Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Council consists of a group of Parishioners, elected for two years, who represent the various groups and activities taking place in the Church. Groups such as Sacrament Preparation, Fund-Raising, Youth, Socialising etc. are represented and the aim is to provide leadership and support to those who are active within the Parish. There are fifteen members, plus Fr. Jimmy as President and the Council meets four times a year. Parish Pastoral Councils are becoming increasingly commonplace within the Church and provide valuable assistance to the Parish Priest, enabling him more free time for his pastoral work, as well as providing cohesion and direction for parishioners working within the Parish. The Council will endeavour to fairly represent all aspects of Parish Life. Please contact Robert Murphy. The Secretary of the Parish Council is Pat Dean.
Parish Newsletter
Each week we produce a Parish Newsletter which keeps us up-to-date with what is happening in our Parish. Veronica Camp, and Jackie Abela produce this newsletter. If you would like any events or special occasions mentioned, such as birthdays or wedding anniversaries etc, please contact one of the team through the Presbytery.
Parish Secretary
The Parish Secretary is Mary Fortey and she is available between 11.30 am and 6 pm from Monday to Friday at the Presbytery, (4 pm on Tuesday).
Parish Social Activities
We always enjoy Parish celebrations. If you have any ideas or suggestions on how we can celebrate and have more fun activities please contact Lily O'Brien.
Pastoral Care
This is an area which we are keen to develop in order to support the bereaved and people who may be ill. If you feel you have anything to offer in being supportive please contact John Dean.
Planned Giving and Gift Aid
Planned Giving : Using the envelope scheme is an excellent way to make a regular, weekly financial contribution to the Parish as an alternative to finding loose change in your pocket or purse. The envelope enables you to plan your contribution in advance. Alternatively, a standing order can be organised for a monthly contribution to the Parish, which saves on cash handling/administration and means your payment is never missed. Speak to Dinah White if you would like a box of envelopes or wish to organise a standing order.
Gift Aid : This scheme allows the Parish to recover some £2,000 per annum from the Inland Revenue in respect of tax paid on donations where there is an audit trail in place to show the donation going from the donor and into the bank account of the Parish. There is no commitment to a specific amount of money for a given period of time. The requirements of the scheme are :
- The completion of a simple form - A Gift Aid Declaration
- The donor must pay income tax equal to the amount being reclaimed each year.
- The donor must be a user of Planned Giving envelopes (see above) or use a standing order.
The Parish can gain a further 28p for every £1 contributed. The Declaration can run indefinitely, but can be cancelled at any time if personal circumstances change. Please contact us to learn now to join.
Prayer Group
We are a small, informal group who meet monthly (see Newsletter for dates) Please join us if you would like a time of quiet prayer or reflection - you would be very welcome. If you would like us to pray for any special intentions please contact Mary Fortey or if you have a confidential request, place it in an envelope and we will offer that to the Lord in prayer for you.
RCIA
This is our Parish "Faith Group" and we meet once a week from October to Easter in the Prayer Room. In our group people come along to explore the possibility of becoming a Catholic. We also have Catholic parishioners who want to explore in a deeper and more meaningful way what it means to be Catholic in our present world. It is a wonderful experience and we share and support each other in a caring and fun way. If you would like to join us please contact Jo Bradbury, Lily O'Brien or Fr. Jimmy.
Readers
Readers are always required especially for the Sunday Masses. If you would like your name to be placed on our rota with a view to reading once every four to six weeks please contact Veronica Camp.
Repository Shop
A wide range of pamphlets, religious items, cards for all special occasions and Mass cards are available from the back of the Church. Seasonal cards are also available at Christmas and Easter. Contact Winifred Higgins.
Sacristans
Lydia Pye, Deidre Stretton and Rita Stretton are our Parish Sacristans.
Schools
We have two schools : St.Patrick's Catholic Primary School on Harrison Road (0116 2661149), Headteacher : Mr Marius carney and English Martyrs Comprehensive School (0116 2428880), Headteacher Mrs Catherine Fields M.Ed.
School Liaison
This is carried out by Tracey Diaper who liaises between the Parish and Schools to inform them of events taking place. This builds up a good relationship between the Parish and the Schools.
Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC)
If you would like more information, please contact Lily O'Brien
St.Vincent de Paul Society
This active group meets regularly throughout the year and helps families in need, visits the sick and housebound and offers a variety of practical support. New members are always very welcome.
Tea and Coffee
Each Sunday after the 10.30 am Mass there is tea and coffee available for parishioners and visitors to socialise, make friends and meet new people. If you would like to join the team, giving a commitment of every nine weeks or so, please contact Kath McLoughlin or Linda Treacy
Youth Group
Our Youth Group is very successful and meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm in the Parish Centre. It is open for youngsters of secondary school age and runs many activities, both indoors and outdoors. We are very fortunate to have professional Youth Leaders and a team of helpers and also to have the support of the Youth Management Team who oversee the running of the Club and ensure that the Leaders and youngsters have the resources they need. Please contact Cyril Wilson, Lyn Small or Nancy Gallyot.
300 Club
Each Sunday a weekly private members draw takes place with winnings ranging from£100 going up to an annual draw for £2,000. The aim of this draw is to raise general funds for the Parish and to help pay off the Parish debt. New members are always very welcome. Please contact Mary Fortey
Appendix 1 - Parish Council Members and Responsibility
President: Fr. Jimmy Browne
Chair: Robert Murphy
Secretary: Barbara Bowyer
Communications: Pat Dean
Environment: Mary Mapletoft
Ecumenism: Kate Wadkin
Eucharistic Ministers: Merle Oni
Finance: David Shoubridge
Fund Raising
Hospitality: Linda Treacy
Interest Groups: Jane Morgan
Liturgy: Joy Leggett
Parish Centre: Mark Boland
Parish Secretary: Mary Fortey
Pastoral Care: John Dean
Sacraments: Mary Fortey
School Liaison: Pat Dean
Social Activities: Lily O'Brien
Youth: Cyril Wilson
All members of the Parish Council may be contacted by leaving a note in their pigeon hole in the Prayer Room, or by contacting the Presbytery.
Apendix II - A Brief History of St.Patrick's Church
The first St.Patrick's began in 1824 when the Dominicans of Holy Cross opened an Infant School in Belgrave Gate. A School Chapel was erected in 1854 in Royal East Street and a new mission was gradually formed. Holy Cross Parish was subsequently divided in 1873 creating the additional new Parish of St.Patrick's and a Parish Church was erected attached to the school. The Parish was handed over to the Bishop of the Diocese in 1894. The old Church closed on Whit Sunday 1940 - a victim of slum clearance.
In 1922 a Chapel of Ease dedicated to Our Lady of Good Counsel was opened in Moira Street, Belgrave and this became the Parish of Our Lady and St.Patrick. The school in Royal East Street had closed in 1937 and the new school in Harrison Road opened.
The Parish grew considerably with the building of two housing estates after the war - Stocking Farm and Mowmacre Hill - and the Stadium Estate. The Priest and people of Our Lady's spent considerable time and effort in raising funds to build a new Church to serve these estates. Mass was said in the Club room in the grandstand of Leicester Stadium.
On St.Patrick's Day 1959, the Bishop of Nottingham, Dr. Edward Ellis, opened the new St.Patrick's Church, located on Beaumont Leys Lane.
As part of St.Patrick's Parish there was a Mass Centre established in the old Hare and Hounds Pub in Anstey in 1972. In 1984 this was transferred to the Memorial Hall where it remained until its closure in 1994.
Presently St.Patrick's Parish includes Stocking Farm, Abbey Rise, Beaumont Leys, Mowmacre Hill, Anstey Heights, Groby Road, Anstey, Newtown Linford, the Woodgate area, the Abbey Park area and Thurcaston.
Appendix III - Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary was founded in Dublin, Ireland on 7th September 1921 by Brother Frank Duff. It is a lay Catholic organisation, whose members have weekly meetings where prayer and the Rosary are intermingled with reports and discussions.
The object of the Legion of Mary is the Glory of God and active co-operation in Our Lady's and the Church's work. Legion members visit the sick, both at home and in hospital, attend funerals, visit lapsed Catholics and try to be of service to the Church.
We hope to have a day of prayer at Church and a Parish pilgrimage.
If you would like a visit please contact Virginia Polkey or Eileen Fogarty.
The Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring love;
Where there is injury, forgiveness;
Where there is conflict, understanding.
Where there is doubt, may I share faith;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is sadness, may I bring joy;
Where there is darkness, light.
Lord, may I seek
to console, rather then be consoled ...
to understand, rather then be understood ...
to love, rather then be loved ...
Because it is in giving that we receive,
in forgiving that we are forgiven,
and in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Parish Groups
Children's Liturgy: Pauline Chester
Choir and Music: Kath Gambin
Communications Group: Pat Dean
Diocesan Assembly Group: Robert Murphy
First Holy Communion: Janet Washington / Mary Fortey
God for Grown Ups: Jo Bradbury / Lily O'Brien
Justice & Peace: Nancy Gallyot
Legion of Mary: Virginia Polkey / Eileen Fogarty
Liturgy Group: Joy Leggett
Music Group - Sham-Rock: Chris O'Brien
Parish Pastoral Council: Pat Dean
Prayer Group: Mary Fortey
Youth Group: Cyril Wilson / Lyn Small
Youth Management Team: Nancy Gallyot
