In this Newsletter...
The Little Way Catholic Educational Trust (LWCET) launches.
Situations Vacant.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Dare to Hope Tree Planting.
Seeking God.
Lord, Teach us to Pray.
Kingship of Christ: Responding to the Cry of the Earth online formation session.
Clifton Diocese Safeguarding Training.
Pilgrims of Hope: The 2025 Jubilee in Clifton.
Lenten retreat: ‘Transformed by Love’.
Music Festival.
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Dates for your Diary...
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: from 18th January.
Pilgrims of Hope: 1 February, 7:30-8:45pm.
Kingship of Christ: Webinar: 24 January, 7.30-8.45pm.
Rite of Election: Clifton Cathedral, 17 February 11am
Good Friday: 29 March
Easter Sunday: 31 March.
Marriage Celebration - Clifton Cathedral: 25 May, midday.
Diocesan Day: St Bernadette's Catholic School, Bristol, 6 July.
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Links to pages on our website:
Safeguarding is an essential part in the life and ministry of the Church. It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure our parishes and institutions are safe places, especially for those who are vulnerable. Abuse and harm have no place in our diocese. There is zero tolerance to abuse, harm and any behaviour that falls short of appropriate safeguarding practices as expressed in National Policies.
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The Little Way Catholic Educational Trust (LWCET) launches
The 8th January 2024 marked a truly special occasion as we became a part of the Little Way Catholic Educational Trust. To commemorate this momentous day, we started with a special assembly where we watched a getting-to-know-you video from each of the schools, indulged in delicious cake, made bookmarks for our reading books, and engaged in hand-printing to make a banner for each of our classrooms. What made it extra special was that all of the Trust schools were doing the same activities at the same time.
The Little Way Catholic Educational Trust (LWCET) was launched on 1st January 2024 with six founding schools: St Catharine’s in Chipping Campden, St Joseph’s in Nympsfield, St Thomas More in Cheltenham, St Peter’s Primary in Gloucester, The Catholic School of St Gregory the Great, Cheltenham and The Rosary School in Stroud.
By: The Little Way Catholic Educational Trust (LWCET) |
Situations Vacant:
Clifton Diocese: Principal Surveyor
As part of an established Property Services team, the Surveyor is appointed as the lead for minor works and capital projects as well as day to day management of the estate. The diverse portfolio includes churches, church buildings, residential accommodation, operational property and some commercial investment assets, many of which are Grade l & ll listed.
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Little Way Catholic Educational Trust
Post: Chief Executive Officer
Accountable to: The Trust Board of Directors
Responsible for: The strategic and operational leadership and management of the trust in line with its Catholic ethos, implementation of the Trust Board’s vision, strategy and policy, oversight of the Trust’s educational and financial performance, compliance with all statutory and contractual requirements, and direct line management of the executive leadership team and all headteachers.
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St Brendan’s Sixth Form College: College Chaplain
37 hours per week, Term Time Only (39 weeks per year)
We are looking for a Catholic Chaplain with excellent communications skills, emotional intellect and pastoral skills with knowledge of wellbeing provision within an education setting. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who wants to make a significant contribution both to the ethos of our college and to building a community for our students and staff.
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
18 January marks the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18-25 January 2024). This week is our opportunity to join Jesus in his prayer to the Father - “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:20)
The Bishops’ Conference has many resources for this week, so take a look at their website for daily prayer reflections and more. And, on our own website, check out our Jubilee Page for resources and ideas to develop your prayer life during this Year of Prayer 2024.
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Dare to Hope Tree Planting
There will be a tree planting event this coming weekend, planting 720 trees! If you’re able to spare time this coming Sunday 21st to help, contact Sheila Mander via Sheila@focustheatre.co.uk: it’s taking place in the grounds of Ellenborough Park Hotel GL52 3NJ from 11.30am. The trees were bought with the proceeds of last April’s inspiring ‘Dare to Hope’ evening with young people at the Cheltenham Playhouse. Bring a spade and wellies!
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Lord, Teach us to Pray
Pope Francis has given us The Year of Prayer 2024 in preparation for the Holy Year of 2025. This series at St John the Evangelist, South Parade, Bath, draws us into the school of prayer so that we might draw near to the Lord who calls us to draw near to him. We start on Tuesday 23 January with Fr Tom Dubois.
The series details are:
Tuesday 23 January: Lord teach us to pray – how we pray (Fr Tom Dubois);
Tuesday 20 February: The prayer of Jesus (Fr Dermot Power);
Tuesday 30 April: The prayer of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (Fr John Udris);
Tuesday 28 May: The prayer of St Benedict (Fr Mark Hargreaves OSB);
Tuesday 25 June: The prayer of St Dominic (Sr Hyacinthe and the Dominican Sisters of St Joseph);
Tuesday 23 July: Windows on the Divine – praying with icons (Tamara Penwell);
Tuesday 24 September: The prayer of St Francis and St Clare (Friar Maximilian Martin, OFM Conv);
Tuesday 29 October: The prayer of Carmel (Fr Michael McAndrew);
Tuesday 26 November: The prayer of St Ignatius (Fr James Hanvey SJ).
Each session will take place in the Church and begin at 7.00pm.
All are most welcome.
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Kingship of Christ: Responding to the Cry of the Earth online formation session
Lumen Gentium teaches that all the baptised participate in Christ’s kingly office. We can grow comfortable with calling Christ the King, and we think of it as a cosmic abstraction. But what is Christ’s kingship in a more concrete sense? And how are we called to live that reality in our daily lives?
The Department of Adult Education and Evangelisation is offering an online formation session which links the Kingship of Christ with caring for our common home. Webinar: Wednesday 24 January, 7.30-8.45pm.
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Clifton Diocese Safeguarding Training
Please don’t forget to book yourself on the Diocese Safeguarding training for 2024 which is being provided by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency, supported by the Diocese Safeguarding Coordinator. The training is for all Clergy but can also be attended by parish safeguarding representatives. The decision by the Diocese is that all Clergy attend annual safeguarding training. If you attend RLSS safeguarding training then please notify the safeguarding coordinator who will ensure your records are updated with the date of the RLSS training. Lunch will be provided and joining instructions will be sent nearer the time. To register for the training then email safeguarding@Cliftondiocese.com with your preferred date:
- Wednesday 21 February – The
Newman Hall, 28 Grange Ct Rd, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4DR.
- Wednesday 20 March – St
Peter’s, Carronbridge Road, Swindon, SN57ES.
- Saturday 01 June – Alexander
House, 160 Pennywell Road, Bristol BS5 0TX.
- Wednesday 28 August – St
George, Billet St, Taunton TA1 3NG.
- Wednesday 25 September – The
Newman Hall, 28 Grange Ct Rd, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4DR.
- Saturday 02 November –
Alexander House, 160 Pennywell Road, Bristol BS5 0TX.
- Wednesday 20 November –
Sacred Heart Church, 75 High Street Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 7AH.
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Pilgrims of Hope: The 2025 Jubilee in Clifton
Pope Francis has decreed that 2025 will be a Jubilee, with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” But what, exactly, is a jubilee, and why does the Church periodically celebrate them? What about the “2024 Year of Prayer,” or all those documents from the Second Vatican Council? |
Join us for Pilgrims of Hope: The 2025 Jubilee in Clifton 1 February (7:30-8:45 pm). It will introduce the jubilee year, providing context for the current three-year programme (2023 – Year of the Council, 2024 – Year of Prayer, 2025 Jubilee – Pilgrims of Hope), as well as background for jubilees – how they originated, their role in Scripture, and how jubilees have been used in the Church.
It will conclude by exploring the theme that Pope Francis chose, Pilgrims of Hope, and how Clifton Diocese can journey together over the next few years towards this great celebration.
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Lenten retreat: ‘Transformed by Love’
Clifton Diocese in partnership with ‘Light of Truth’ are offering a Lenten retreat: ‘Transformed by Love’ in six online sessions, contemplating God’s grace at work in the lives of six persons, through scripture and artworks. The six sessions begin at 7.30pm on a Tuesday evening:
20 February, 27 February, 5 March, 12 March, 19 March, 26 March
‘Light of Truth’: as Dominican Sisters, our mission is to proclaim the Gospel by our lives and words. We are in the UK, in the New Forest, and live a community life of prayer and praise, of study and preaching, according to our Dominican tradition. With ‘Light of Truth’, we hope to share with everyone the fruits of our contemplation: the fruit of our prayer, of our academic formation and of our rich experience of working with adults, catechists and young people at the services of parishes and dioceses in the last 25 years. Through ‘Light of Truth’, we aim to offer a formation which will provide a rich experience of the fraternal life of our community and of the fellowship of the Church. Partnering with expert lay formators, we want to offer the best content and the best experience possible to help everyone grow in faith, hope and charity.
We suggest a donation of £5 per person per session for any of the ‘Light of Truth’ courses, their details can be found here: Contact | Light of Truth
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Music Festival
The Diocese of Plymouth is hosting a music festival for young people (13-25) at Buckfast Abbey on 2 March. Parishes and groups from Clifton Diocese have been invited to attend as well. The cost per ticket is £25.
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