Dear Brothers & Sisters
By holy coincidence Education Sunday today chimes with the Golden Jubilee of Our Lady of Compassion School this week.
The school began in its present form this week in 1974. So on Friday in school we have a family fun day in the afternoon, (Sept 13) while on Thursday afternoon at 2.00pm (Sept 12) there is a Jubilee mass in school with Bp.David Evans.
On Sunday Sept 15 we have an OLC celebration in Church at 9.00 mass with Bp.Joseph Galea-Kurmi, bishop of Malta, (brother of Mrs. Vella, OLC deputy head)
Bishop Joseph along with Cardinal Grech the senior bishop of Malta is one of the movers of the Synodal Programme.
St.Peter's School also has a jubilee this week. The school in its present form was created in 1974 from a merger between the old Olton Court Convent School (now site of OLC) and Bishop Glancey High school. The Sixth Form was added in 1994, and both schools became part of Our Lady and All Saints MAC in 2021.
May God bless all our dedicated staff who work so hard to be good shepherds to the children entrusted to their care. This week all staff & pupils in our schools are back full time after a staggered start, and we ask a blessing on the year ahead.
The whole MAC -with representatives from all 14 schools- will celebrate the mass for the new school year here at The Friary on September 26 with Archbishop Bernard Longley. For the first time we’ll be joined by St.John Henry Newman Catholic College, which joins the MAC in October.
May Mary our Mother watch over all her children on earth this week and help us learn how to care for mother earth, our common home, in this season of creation
Fr.Biju scj Parish Priest
*********************
SCJ News: Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam: In the summer months (June to August), our 4 temporarily professed brothers were on pastoral activities in the dioceses of Thanh Hoa Vinh (both in North Vietnam). But from Wednesday 21 August to Sunday 25 the whole community went on retreat, to follow Ignatian spiritual exercises in the retreat house of the Benedictine Sisters.
Fr.Paul Nguyen Nhu Hieu a Camillan priest led them in reflections on "The Holy Spirit & service". The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, a tool for discernment & decision-making are very much a part of our tradition now.
*********************
FRIARY SNIPPETS
Journey in Faith our parish programme for those who would like to be received into the Catholic Church begins Oct 14
* Runs every Monday 7.30pm till Easter.
* Are you searching for a chance to take an important step & like to join JIF?
* Please speak to Fr Biju or Fr Austin.
* Anyone among your friends who’d like to make the journey too……..…?
Olton Friary & Our Lady of the Wayside Youth Club will start here at The Friary on Friday 13th September, 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Year 6 & upwards are welcome. We seek more volunteers to support this group so please speak to Fr Biju if you’re interested.
KYT Football Tournament to be held at St Mary’s College, Oscott, 10am to 4pm, on Sunday 29th September. School years 6-8 and 9 -12 – please bring your own team. Register at www.kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk
……….Olton Friary Presents…………
A Night at the Musicals Sat 5 October 7.30pm A concert featuring songs from the musicals with guest organist Pavlos Triantaris, our own fabulous Gerry Poole, Olton Friary Choir, and dance cabaret.
Tickets £12 per person... on sale after Mass during September, or email geraldine.gnych@oltonfriary.org.uk
*********************
Marriage matters: TWENTY THIRD SUNDAY
Isaiah 35:4-7 James 2:1-5 Mark 7:31-37
Criticism, intended or not, can lead to harsh words or painful silences. When trying to talk, the hurts can be so deep, they seem too big a block to overcome. To leave space or do something we enjoy doing together, and then trying to talk, can often enable us to open our ears to listen and our hearts to love.
*********************
Silver jubilees & beyond? If any couple celebrating their 25th, 40th, 50th or 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2024, would like to receive a Papal Blessing please contact Fr Biju or the parish office. Thank you.
Meditation in Acocks Green - dates for this term: 16 Sept, 7& 21 Oct, 11 & 25 Nov & 9 December. All meetings at 1.00pm in parish meeting room at Holy Souls.
An bhfuil Gaeilge agat? Conversational Irish language classes for complete novices or intermediates, in Sutton Coldfield. Start Wednesday 11 Sept 7.00 p.m. Holy Cross & St Francis Parish Hall, B76 2RS Please call Gerard for info 07929 873828. We shall use buntus cainte Book I (from Gael Linn internet shop)
Farewell to a dear friend.. The vicar of Olton, Reverend Dominic Wright is leaving the area to take up a new post in Buckinghamshire in the Oxford Diocese. He will be rector of Cottesloe, with eight churches to tend. Fr.Dominic has been an inspiring force in Churches Together Olton and a great friend of ours at The Friary. We ask God’s blessing on his new mission and on his family too.
St.Peter's School Open Evening 2024: Governors, staff & pupils of St Peter's Catholic School warmly welcome all prospective pupils & their families to our Open Evening Thurs 19 Sep 5.30pm- 8pm Come & chat to our staff, view our buildings & meet some of our pupils. Doors open 5.30pm with opportunities to hear the Headteacher's address
The Friary Craft group would be very grateful if all poppies made could be handed in, to the piety stall or one of the group by the end of September. A lot of sewing still to be done to make the display! A massive thank you for your support.
Big thanks to the secret army of cleaners who unseen keep our church tidy during the year: Week starting September 8 Group A
The Holy Shroud : A full size replica of the world-famous Shroud of Turin will be at Saint Patrick’s Church, Coventry CV2 2AA. It will be on display from today to Sept 14. Viewing times: Tuesday to Friday 5-7pm, Saturday 12-5pm & Sunday 11.30am to 1pm.
Job for a surveyor? Birmingham Archdiocese seeks an RICS Chartered General Practice Surveyor to join its Property Team. Role of the Team is to advise on management of parish & school property through-out the Diocese. Full time permanent role. Deadline Wed 18
**********************************
REGULAR ACTIVITIES IN OUR PARISH HALL
Monday Zumba 1.30 - 2.30 & 7 - 8pm
Tuesday Latin & Ballroom Dancing 10.30 -12 noon & 7.30 - 9.30pm. Yoga 5:45 - 7:00pm
Tuesday U3A (2nd Tuesday, monthly)
Wednesday Stroke Club 9am - 1.30pm. Slimming World 2.30 - 8.30
Thursday Zumba 11am - 12 Noon. U3A Quiz (2nd Thursday monthly) Fitness Pilates (term time) 6.30 - 8.30pm
Friday Yoga 10.45am - 12.00 noon
PARISH CENSUS: Please fill in details online or manually. Info? Email:
martin.hayden@oltonfriary.org.uk or call office 0121 706 0505.
https://forms.office.com/e/dHWqGN3HG2
Safeguarding: Our Parish follows correct safeguarding policy & practice at all times. Safeguarding Parish Reps: Carol Foster & Maureen Treanor: sg.oltonfriary.solihull@rcaob.org.uk Diocese Rep: Claire Reay: safeguarding@rcaob.org.uk Call 0121 230 6240 for any concern or query
The Parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance and the National and Archdioceses policies & procedures at all times. Our Parish Safeguarding Representative is Carol Foster and Maureen Treanor. They can be contacted at: sg.oltonfriary.solihull@rcaob.org.uk or alternatively the Diocesan Safeguarding team can be contacted on 0121 230 6240
safeguarding@rcaob.org.uk if you have any concern.
**************************************************************************
Security Please do not leave any belongings unattended in the benches while receiving Holy Communion as there has been a recent incident.
************************************************************
PARISH GROUPS—Please check your information posted on the Parish website. Any updates/corrections/alterations, please email the parish office.
SOLIHULL/HEARTLANDS HOSPITAL Please ask hospital Switchboard for on-call Catholic Priest 0121 424 2000, & they will call the duty Priest. Catholic Chaplain at Solihull & Heartlands is Fr Roger Raven. Data Protection law means visit from priest must be actively sought. He doesn't have access to patient files.
CAR PARK - Please be considerate when parking/manoeuvring your car and please note the disabled parking bays are for the use of those with disabled badges, there is no parking in either the Community and Staff designated areas and the front & rear of The Friary Residential block. When parking on a Sunday, please do not park on or drive over the grass adjacent to the gate leading into the graveyard. Only authorised cars to park at other times, by arrangement with the Parish Priest.
HALL BOOKINGS from external groups, particularly regular users are a useful income toward the upkeep of the Church. If access is needed to hall or kitchen during these times, please liaise with the Parish office or Community first.
CREMATION PLOTS (newer area) Following previous notes re- borders & stones barred for H&S danger to graveyard volunteers; please also note that plots are set out in vertical strips, in plots for two. So borders & stones added around memorial tablets are encroaching on the space of a loved one, and should be removed.
GOING TO HOSPITAL -Please let your parish priest know if you’re going into hospital. On admission ask for the Catholic chaplain as Chaplains no longer receive names of Catholic patients unless they opt in.
SECURITY NOTICE - Please ensure Friary doors are kept closed & locked when necessary. If you attend a meeting please make sure that the last one out has secured the outside doors. The front door should not be left on the hook unattended. Besides Church security, the Friary is home to priests & brothers who need to know they are safe.
CHARITY COLLECTION BOXES for SVP and St Basil’s charities are built into the left and right hand sides, at the back of the Church. Built-in boxes can be found in the narthex for St Anthony’s bread (used to help the poor in the local area) and Holy Souls (used for Mass intentions for Holy Souls).
FLOODLIGHT DEDICATION—You are able to have the Church floodlit in memory of someone. A suggested donation is £10 a week, the name of the person in whose memory it is in would appear in the newsletter. Forms are available in narthex, or from parish office.
THE SICK OF OUR PARISH - If your name or the name of a friend or relative was on the parish list of prayers for the sick, and you would like that name to remain on the list, would you please contact the Parish Office on 0121 706 0505. Data protection law obliges us to ensure that you or your friend or family member has consented to being on the list, as it can be seen by many, (e.g. church notice board) and is available for anyone to pick up. We make great efforts to ensure the church abides by new data protection and privacy law.
VISITORS - If you wish to gift aid your offertory donation, white visitor envelopes are available in the narthex.
VEHICLE CRIME ALERT - The neighbourhood Policing Team would like to draw your attention to an increase in vehicle crime in the area. 5 crime reduction tips—ALWAYS close the windows and doors in your vehicle, DON'T leave any valuables on display and where possible do not leave ANY valuables in the vehicle such as Satnavs, Mobile Phones, Wallets, Purses, Bags or iPods, ENSURE your registration plates are fixed using 'anti tamper screws', KEEP your car keys in a safe place in your house.
SAFEGUARDING - In this parish there have been strict guidelines in place for several years for the protection of children and vulnerable persons. Anyone with a concern about safeguarding issues should ring the Diocesan Safeguarding Office on 0121 230 6240.
KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE - Please do not leave bags unattended in Church, even at Communion time. Bags and valuables should not be left on display in cars as this can present a target for thieves.