DAY OUT SUCCESS FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

Saturday 23rd of July saw Our Lady of the Valley parishioners, people from other Clitheroe Churches, and members of the Clitheroe Mosque hosting a day out for 38 refugees and asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa. The organizing team are grateful to everyone for their financial support, practical help, and goodwill.

The weather was kind, and everyone had a good time. At Edisford Bridge the children paddled and played games, learnt how to cook sausages and make bracelets.  A bagpiper turned up to entertain, and our guests were keen to have their pictures taken with him. Later they played diamond cricket on St. Michael and St. John’s school field. Father John led a walk along the River Ribble for a small group of adults, and the Mosque put on a delicious BBQ. Later in the afternoon, everyone headed to Sabden (by the Nick o’ Pendle to take in the views) for a delicious traditional cream tea, put on by Sabden parishioners. We learned that our love of cream cakes was something we all had in common! It was particularly moving to see the children having so much fun: one 8-year-old lad told me it was the best day since he had left home!

Manager for Revive, the Charity we have been working with in Manchester, has written to say:

I wish to thank you again for the great Day Out you organised for the refugee and asylum community at Revive.

It’s a fantastic experience for all. The opportunity to see the beautiful country side of Clitheroe; the opportunity to experience the generosity/ hospitality and welcome of your Catholic Parishes and Muslim community were awesome and inspiring.

It was bold and courageous of you to lead and drive this amazing outreach project to the refugee and asylum community.

Everyone was gushing with praise and admiration for you and your team. Many declared the day out as one of the best days of their lives. And the question from everyone has been: Can we do this again, regularly?

I thought we could and should. It is a worthwhile event and a win for all, hence I wish we book it in again in our calendar for 2017 (22^nd July). What do you think?

Warm regards to the Christian Parishes and the Muslim community at Clitheroe for making our day.

Thanks and God bless. Uchenna Odenigbo

Just over £1,000 was raised towards the day, and so there are sufficient funds left over in Revive’s account to kick-start a similar event next year. We should give it a go!

Tom Clay

Dear Parishioners,

Not being the sort of bloke who walks into ladies’ toilets, I confess to never having checked the ladies’ facilities in our Clitheroe Parish Social Centre. So at the request of our women’s group I visited their toilets in the Centre and must admit to being surprised at just how dilapidated they are. So a further visit with the maintenance committee and Tony Hargan has resulted in a plan. The toilets will be completely refurbished with four cubicles instead of the present three, three wash basins instead of the present two, the walls and ceiling will be replastered, lighting improved, the flooring will be renewed and baby changing facilities will be introduced. Unfortunately, because of the number of events already booked into the centre and the lengthy holiday, work cannot begin until the end of October. However, to smarten up the place immediately new temporary hand basins will be installed. The development will cost around £12,000 but to help defer the cost, the Women’s group will raise some funds and have been promised assistance by the Knights. The proceeds of the Christmas Fayre also will be given to this project.

With the school closing for the holidays we shall commence to repair the church roof, repoint the west gable end of the church and attend to various parts of the presbytery where the rain managed to penetrate the walls last winter. In addition, the small perimeter wall that runs in front of the main church door will be demolished and rebuilt before it collapses.

You’ll be aware that for the past number of years a parish sponsored walk has been organised to raise funds for the Blackburn HCPT group. This group has now disbanded but the walk will continue and the money raised will be divided equally between a diocesan Caritas project to build a mother and baby welfare unit in Bolton and help fund the new toilets in our Social Centre. This year’s walk will be on Sunday, October 2^nd.

Meanwhile, wherever you are or where ever you’re going I wish you a very happy holiday.

Fr John

The Knit and Knatterthon was a wonderful community event.  With an age range of 97 years, some stayed the full 12 hours and one woman brought her baby for just half an hour to cheer the knitters along.  Nearly all the local Christian denominations were represented.  The conversation flowed easily even amongst complete strangers and Clitheroe Ukulele Band entertained the evening knitters.

75 people put their names on the list of attendees.  This doesn’t include the 12 children from St Michael and St John’s who were an absolute delight, talking and laughing and looking around, all the time knitting away with their competent little fingers.

What was particularly good was the number of young people and the number of people who came to learn or refresh.   Men came too, some who could already knit and some who had never knitted before. The experienced knitters were kept busy teaching the newcomers.   The final number of squares was 135, albeit many of them brought along already knitted.

The event was for Syrian refugees in Turkey, some fleeing their war torn cities but hoping to return to Syria and some, despite advice and education, trying to get across the water to Lesbos.   When the winter comes these people will need the blankets made from the 8 inch squares knitted in Clitheroe.

With thoughts about how we can become a more welcoming community we can make a number of observations:

• nearly all different Christian communities represented
• school involvement
• the number contributing who couldn’t make it on the day
• young people attending
• men coming with their wives and learning to knit
• relaxing experience of chatting whilst knitting
• learning about the refugee crisis and how people can help
• people sharing their faith
• people of faith and no faith working together to a common cause
• the number of requests for similar events

Concern for refugees is good for community building, bringing together people of different Christian beliefs or none.  The next Knit and Knatter is July 27, but before that we have the Refugee Picnic and Walk on July 23, as mentioned in last week’s newsletter.  Come along.  You will enjoy it.  For details and how you can help, contact Tom Clay on 07962136749

Anthony Brown

Dear Parishioners,

The Bishop’s proposal for the restructuring of parishes within the diocese is available at the back of the church. I have mentioned that the reorganisation will not affect our three communities; it is a road that we have already travelled! However, I do urge that you read the 16-page document which offers an overview of how we have come to where we are , and  to where both Pope and Bishop wish us to travel. In the near future I hope to announce a meeting to discuss these issues further.

Mark Paver, who was with us two years ago, has contacted me asking for our prayers. “I am writing to let you know that I am due to be ordained a deacon on July 13th at Palazzola. It is hard to believe that the two years I have been at the English College have passed so quickly. After getting the STB (Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology) done last year, I started a licence in biblical theology this year which has between one and a half to two years to go, so I will still be in Rome for a while yet.

As the ordination approaches I realise that many people and parish communities have been a great support on my journey so far and continue to be so. I am very grateful for the time I spent with you in Clitheroe and Sabden and I often reflect on my experiences there as a concrete context for all the stuff we are doing here. Hopefully it will bear fruit in the future. Please say a prayer for me on 13th. It was good to see some of your parishioners last summer in Lourdes, I don’t know if I will see any again this year?”

So, please do remember Mark in prayer on Wednesday and I propose that we offer the 9.30 Mass for him next Sunday.

A week on Saturday, 23^rd July, we shall host a number of refugee families for the day. They should arrive at Edisford Bridge by 10.30am to enjoy games and a picnic by the river while the more energetic will join a walk along our eight-mile circuit of the River Ribble. I do encourage you and all families, children included, to join us if only for an hour, at Edisford, to  meet and mix with our visitors and help them feel welcome.  Bring a picnic!  The Mosque is to provide a Bar-B-Que.

Walkers should meet inside Brungerly park gates, also at 10.30am. The visit will end when they travel over the nick to our parish hall in Sabden for afternoon tea. Come join the fun!

Fr John