Bishop Declan will be conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday 3rd October next year at 11.00am.  The preparation programme will be open to all young people in school Years 9 and above.  If you wish to join the programme, which starts early in the new year, please complete the application form at www.stgregorys.org.uk/confirmation before 29th November 2019.  If you were not baptised at St Gregory’s or St Thomas More or Sacred Hearts, you will need to supply a copy of your baptismal certificate, which will be returned to you as soon as it has been processed.

If you shop on line your chosen charities can benefit

How TheGivingMachine Works

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Click on the links above to learn about this scheme, promoted by the Diocese.

What’s the catch? There isn’t one. No fees, no hassle. All you need to do is click via TheGivingMachine every time you shop online. It’s as simple as that!

Wednesday 6th November

The Wednesday Afternoon Group – whose membership is expanding a little now – shall be visited in November by a speaker who will travel from Lancashire, Christopher Robson who represents Aid tot he Church in Need.

Christopher was brought up in the Cheltenham suburbs of Charlton Kings and has studied the growth of Catholicism in the Gloucestershire and Worcestershire area and will give a powerpoint presentation.  His ambition is to start up a Catholic television station in the UK.

Other churches in Tewkesbury will also be invited at the speakers suggestion and there will be tea and biscuits as usual.  Please let us make this a good attendance in appreciation of the distance that this speaker is travelling.

Wednesday 2nd October

What a lovely time we had crafting together

A couple of people want to do it again and hopefully there might be a monthly craft opportunity for a smaller number.  Watch this space!

The kindly crafters also donated over £40 to C.A.F.O.D.

Our trip on the river took place on Wednesday August 7th  with our group taking a boat along to The Fleet at Twyning for lunch.  Some walked along the river bank on what was a pleasant day to be outside.  Thanks to Brian McHale for a photo of some of the sailors!!

Look out for details of our next get together on the First Wednesday in EACH MONTH for some friendly banter and an interesting talk/trip/activity.   Tea and biscuits/cake will be available to keep us all going….

There are a few tweaks to the programme of exciting events planned for this year.

Something for everything and hopefully most of us up for all of it!

On the first Sunday in the month we recite the Rosary at 8.30am prior to our Mass at 9.00am.  We ask Our Lady to intercede for us with God.

The month of October is a great one to start this habit if you are not already in it!

Whenever you find the rosary being recited prior to Mass, please join in as soon as you arrive at church.

Dear Parishioner

Thank you all so much for your unbelievable generosity over the last number of years in response to our appeals for aid, made on behalf of Samara Levi.

The charity founded five years ago this month has, over time, dispatched in excess of 100 shipping containers full of medical equipment, countless dignity bags for ladies and girls, essential items for children and babies, bedding etc, and even a number of ambulances!

Alongside this, Samara has funded the re-establishment of badly damaged hospitals and had the brilliant idea of having a number of the empty containers coverted into frontline trauma centres.

We were expecting another appeal during last January however, following feedback from sources in Syria that the border was closing to foreign aid, the shipment was cancelled.

As a result, our refugee support group (TRSG) decided to divert the aid we had accumultated to a well known charity that were, due to having a greater historic connection with the Middle East, able to access the areas in most neeed.

We have sinc suspended large scale appeals, but have continued to receive small quantities of clothing, knitted items etc that have been delivered to a charity in Malvern that has continued to sort and supply these to where they are most needed.

As a matter of interest, Samara continues to work tirelessly in support for the needs of the millions of Syrians still desperately short of health care provision and so much more.

If you are interested in finding out more about the charity please go the website  www.samarasaidappeal.org

She has, in fact, just had published a book telling her own story on how she was so moved to start this work – You can find it on Amazon entitiled “Rebuilding the Ruins”

Smara’s focus now is to raise funds to build a new hospital, which is currently in the early stages of being designed.  However, this is a fairly long term project and will need funding.

In terms of future aid supplies, there is a suggestion that later this year there will be an appeal for children’s school items where we will be asked to provide school bags filled with all the small but necessary things for their education.

Finally, our situation isn’t ideal for us to commit  full time to this rewarding work.  If there is anyone feeling  able to help we would be so very grateful.

Best wishes

Richard and Bridget Sear

Samara’s Aid Appeal is a charity registered in England and Wales number 1171707. Registered address 28 Highview Way, Brighton, BN1 8WS, United Kingdom