“A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Pastoral Care Meetings take place from 7pm – 8pm on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Email: [email protected]
or telephone 07394 440 938
This is an opportunity to pray for those who are in need of our love and support:
- the homeless;
- the lonely and distressed;
- the sick in their homes, in hospitals, in care homes and nursing homes;
- the housebound;
- the elderly;
- those with any special needs (eg the visually or aurally impaired);
- the bereaved;
- those with dementia;
- the disabled
- and to explore ways in which we can reach out to them and promote their welfare and support spiritually and practically.
Jesus calls each of us to care for and to be “present” to others. Pastoral Care is a ministry of “presence”, a ministry of caring enough to give your time to be truly “present” to someone.
Pastoral Care is the responsibility and privilege of all the baptised and should be freely offered to those with whom we come into contact. Pastoral care in this sense is about listening, supporting, encouraging and befriending
Every person in the parish is uniquely gifted to volunteer in the parish and to enable Christ’s Church to grow – and every person should feel welcome to offer their gifts, whether it’s for a few hours regularly or when called upon by the parish. Through baptism and confirmation we have been given rights and responsibilities to live out the call of our Baptism through personal faith in Jesus, witnessing together to the Good News and participating in the mission of the Church.
Fr Daniel McAvoy, our Parish Priest, meets with and visits those in our parish community in need of love and support as often as possible. Circumstances in which Pastoral Care support may be needed are many and varied. Over the past year, a confidential list of ‘Sick and Housebound Parishioners’ has been updated every 4-6 weeks. This list is held in the parish office along with an ‘Awareness List’ of the frail elderly, those with special needs, those with dementia and the disabled – this is an ever growing list as we become more aware of people in our parish community and their needs and it is hoped that, with Pastoral Care meetings, the list will continue to grow.
Eucharistic Ministers take Holy Communion to 30 Sick and Housebound Parishioners in their own homes in various areas of Bracknell – Binfield, Birch Hill, Bullbrook, Harmanswater, Town Central, Priestwood, Hanworth, Great Hollands, Amen Corner, Warfield – as well as Beech House Care Home, Bracknell Care Home and St David’s Nursing Home (Ascot Priory). In addition, Pastoral Visitors and members of the Bereavement Support Group visit the lonely and bereaved in their homes.
Helping Hands are always welcome who might serve in supportive and practical ways such as sending get well cards; making phone calls to those listed in the Prayer section of the Parish newsletter or to someone who has come out of hospital; providing meals (for those just out of hospital/families caring for a loved one/the Bereaved); doing DIY jobs; gardening; giving lifts to Mass/Doctor’s appointments; shopping; delivering the parish newsletter. Helping Hands is a way to volunteer time to our community without having to spend time away from home and family and a great way to include children and young people in the support ministries of our parish:
- help with the Toddler Group?
- join the Night Shelter team during the winter months?
- serve teas and coffees after weekend Masses?
- help with Soup & Roll on Friday lunchtimes during term time?
- give frail elderly parishioners lifts to Mass?
- visit the sick and/or lonely?
- take Holy Communion to the sick and housebound?
If you are interested in visiting the sick and lonely or if you would like to get involved in helping in a practical way, please contact the parish office or come to our next monthly Prayer and Pastoral Care meeting which you will see advertised in our parish newsletter.
As a parish community we also need to keep our eyes and ears open and inform the parish office if we notice that someone is not at Mass so that we can follow this up with a phone call or visit.
Eucharistic Ministers take Holy Communion to 30 Sick and Housebound Parishioners in their own homes in various areas of Bracknell – Binfield, Birch Hill, Bullbrook, Harmanswater, Town Central, Priestwood, Hanworth, Great Hollands, Amen Corner, Warfield – as well as Beech House Care Home, Bracknell Care Home and St David’s Nursing Home (Ascot Priory). In addition, Pastoral Visitors and members of the Bereavement Support Group visit the lonely and bereaved in their homes.
