Groups

The Parish of St Mary and St Wilfrid has a number of active groups that develop the links between the church and the community. Some of these groups are aimed at reaching out a helping hand to those in need (including CAFOD and SVP) while others develop the local aspects of church and community life, such as the parish council and social committee.

Parish Council & Committees

The Parish of St Mary & St Wilfrid is led by its parish council and other committee groups. Each group meets on a regular basis to discuss matters specific to their purpose and to raise items that are important to the needs of the parish and its people.

  • Parish Council – to assist the priest in the development and running of the parish
  • Finance Committee – to act as an advisory consultative body to the parish priest to assist in administering all parish property in accordance with the wishes of the Diocesan Trustees.
  • Social Committee – to plan and organise all social activities and events in the parish, including coffee mornings and quiz nights.

St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)

SVP is an international Christian voluntary organisation. The objective of SVP is the alleviation of poverty. All SVP members are unpaid volunteers, local parishioners from all sections of St Mary and St Wilfrid’s parish who respond to help from individuals and families as long as the referral has been made with the client’s permission. SVP members offer people the hand of friendship, practical help and total confidentiality, members will continue to visit for as long as they are needed. SVP also holds a monthly film club.

Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD)

CAFOD is the official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales helping people make a living and increasing access to clean water, education and healthcare. Our parish contributes towards this effort by fundraising, celebrating Stations of the Cross during Lent, organising a summer walk for the parish, hosting a Christingle service before Christmas, and arranging an annual meal for parishioners.

Forward Together in Hope

This diocesan initiative commenced in 2014 and extends into 2017. Our parish has a group meeting under this title to feel our way forward and assist with parish development based on present demographics and our understanding of current and future needs. Stay updated by attending these meetings in person or by following the news & updates from our parish. The diocesan website has more information and resources about Forward Together in Hope on a wider scale.

Parish Groups

Before Forward Together in Hope, our parish held meetings to consider the future of the parish and how we can engage parishioners to support the vital work needed for the community around us. We established the “40 Group”, named for the initial people in attendance. Subgroups formed from this with individuals meeting to respond to what is required today. Some of these groups include: prayer and exploring new ways (contemplative and mindful), youth work and engaging with the schools more.

Outreach Work

This includes SVP and CAFOD but also covers other projects and active groups that have been strengthened as a result of individuals leading it forward. The St John Paul II award has been introduced for young people. There are also a number of projects that are run jointly with Woodhouse Close Church; these are the shared meals, the food bank and meals on wheels. Our parish ensures that a representative is available to act as the main point of contact between projects and so that information is readily available to others.