Parish Council Minutes – September 2026

8 September 2026

Present: Father Kevin, Father Craig, Deacon Stephen Parker, Mike Campbell (chair), David Bellamy, Richard Bushell, Sam Caldwell, Maria Levesley, Sarah Lynch (minutes), Richard McQuinn, Sian Price (SP2), Ben Ryan

Apologies: Jen Benzies

Opening meditation: two minutes’ silence, led by MC

Minutes of the last meeting: passed without debate

Matters arising:

  • Transport for Fr Craig: Eva has set up a Google docs system for transport for Fr Criag which is working well. A parishioner from St William provides transport on Wed.
  • Morning Prayer on Fridays: this is now underway and happens weekly, although attendance is low.
  • Bidding prayers: these are being provided to Stephen Parker who focuses them for our parish.
  • Live Simply award: the plaque has arrived and will be be put up in the narthex or possibly outside after the presentation. The presentation will be on 25 October [from the altar at the conclusion of mass], with cake and a donation for the Foodbank after mass. The J&P group are meeting tomorrow and will make plans for the day.
  • Book token as thanks for Ed King: this was organised by MC and Ed was very grateful.

Fr Kevin’s retirement:

The suggestions made between the PC members by email were agreed, details to be agreed by email given Fr Kevin was present at the meeting. He was clear he does not wish to have a party!

Parish Survey follow up:

BR produced a written document regarding parish mission. Pope Francis called the whole Church to mission, and we need to work out what our mission is and how the Parish is going to achieve that. He proposed that the PPC would pull together the work of the sub-groups. It would be a significant undertaking so may need a smaller group to work on that. MC said that he would be interested in working within a small group, as his term on the PPC will come to an end next year. He would like to work more with other parishes.

DB raised the issue of working in a more synodal way, questioning whether we as a parish have particularly been using this. BR agreed it was a tool that could be used in such discussions, SC observing synodality is more than a technique. SC felt more than a mission statement we need a focus on mission. Several members agreed a small group was the way to take this forward, opening that group to all of the parish as well as the clergy. Parishioners who had expressed an interest in mission in response to the parish survey would be obvious people to invite. BR observed that this could mean significant changes in how the parish does things, SC commenting that that meant it was important to keep feeding back to the parish and indeed to the diocese as well. SP talked of how we would be going out to our immediate community, demonstrating Catholicism, and it will be important for people to be encouraged into practical action to take that mission out into the community. There were discussions about the various ways of demonstrating our Catholicism, our mission, something which is seen in the work of the J&P committee. The question is how all that our parish does is done in a missionary way. The smaller group will need to discern not just what would be ideal but what we as a parish are capable of. DB referred to Fr Casey’s book ‘Sent’, which may be of interest to those starting on this work – BR will donate his copy to the parish library.

Action: BR will get a smaller group together, including MC and SC from the PPC.

Parish Day:

This is on 4 October, the actual feast of St Francis. There will be a shared lunch afterwards. It was recalled something was said last year about maybe balancing up sweet and savoury contributions, although others supported the idea of the randomness of leaving it to chance! It was felt there would be enough people around on the day to pull the organisation together.

BR raised in the discussions about Mission, that this might be an opportunity to get views from the wider parish. He suggested a couple of cards with questions on which could be put on each table, to get people to start thinking about these issues and plant seeds. SC said any card/leaflet could also give a bit of an update on progress on the Parish Survey topics.

Action: MC will put an announcement in the Franciscan about the shared lunch (“bringing something for yourself and someone else”) and bringing an extra item for the S2 Foodbank.

Spirituality & Liturgy:

  • The Blessing of Animals service will be on 3 October at 3pm. Invitations have gone to St William’s parish and St Vincent’s.
  • There will be a retreat at church on 5 Dec 10am-3pm on the theme of Portraits of Jesus in Word, Music and Art.
  • It is hoped there will be another service for the sick in the new year, to be discussed with Fr Craig.
  • There will be Stations of the Cross again on Good Friday morning. It is hoped there will also be a Taizé service in Advent.
  • A service of reconciliation in Advent or Lent [Rite 2] is also being considered, likely jointly with other parishes. It was acknowledged by the clergy present that younger members of the Church are less likely to attend confession, and a service of reconciliation may encourage them, and indeed other parishioners, to do so. There was enthusiasm for such services.
  • Later in 2027 a day is envisaged on the theme of Praying with St Paul.
  • Baptisms continue, and we need to plan confirmations for 2028 given commitments Bishop Marcus will inevitably have if unification of the three dioceses happens. It could be that this will be done jointly with St William’s.

J & P Report:

  • The presentation for Live Simply will happen (see above) on 25 October.
    Reports have been written and are appearing in The Chronicle in relation to groups working to alleviate poverty who we support.
  • Displays in the narthex continue, bi-monthly roughly.
  • Plans for the usual events such as the panto continue.

Youth Ministry:

The confirmation celebration evening happened, the group going to an escape room. Youth Group will be starting again this term. The Holy Communion programme will start again in the new year.

Finance Committee:

SC reported we’ve had a number of expensive expenditure items relating to the fabric of the church, but our reserves are healthy.

1. Clergy salaries and housekeeping expenses: this necessitates changes in respect of our outgoings. The Diocese takes responsibility for Fr Kevin’s housing costs and bills, and DB is sorting out how to divide up the bills. Fr Craig will be funded between St William’s and St Francis’, his salary and his housing costs, the costs being divided equally. We will reimburse St William’s for this. Overall, this means higher outgoings, though we do not know how much yet as we await the figures from St William’s; it may be that it will wipe out our surplus for the year.

2. Increase in spending limits requiring individual, PFC or diocesan checks: DB explained that the spending limits in relation to which the parish has decision making power, now £5 000. £5000 -10 000 requires PFC approval, over that the Diocese. Our cleaner is paid by cheque fortnightly which will have to change; we will need to deal with this more formally now. DB now has an HSBC business debit card for the parish, meaning he can order items and pay some bills more easily. It would be easier if the parish did more of its purchasing online, eg sacristy supplies, rather than parishioners having to be reimbursed for expenditure.

3. Security: Ring Doorbells have been installed at the church and presbytery. It has flagged up an issue though. There was an incident a couple of weeks ago at 5.20am a group of young men arrived at the church door. SC contacted our neighbourhood policing team, and the video footage has been shared with them. The police have provided a pack of information and also some alarms we may want to use or may not. Fr Kevin queried who would respond to such alarms. The church hasn’t been burgled before; in the past youngsters came in and lots of candles were lit. It was agreed internal doors need to be kept locked when the church is open, so on weekdays people can get through the main doors to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel but nowhere else, including the main church (from the narthex and from the chapel) and the hall. It may be that a sign could be placed on the internal door to the main church directing those who wish to pray to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Fr Kevin having expressed concerns that people who come in to pray head to the main church.

Maintenance:

There will be a maintenance walk through this Thursday and next, to accommodate two new members of personnel.

Matters raised by Fr Craig:

Fr Craig has been having conversations with Bishop Marcus and it has been confirmed Fr Craig will be looking after us until next summer. In due course there will be another parish priest, who won’t be Fr Craig as St William’s is a large active parish, as are we and so requires two priests. The likely merger of the three dioceses gives more options to the Bishop.

Any other business:

  1. A new computer package has been suggested by the Diocese of Leeds, which could be used for newsletters, etc. Jayne Middlemas has given some thoughts and it was agreed this could be looked at at the next PC meeting.
    Action: DB will advise Jayne of this.
  2. MC advised next Tuesday there is a group walking from Leeds to Walsingham, travelling from St Marie’s to Padley, with mass at St Marie’s at 8am. MC proposes to join them.
    Action: MC will put out a Whatsapp message about this.
  3. SP advised the Diocesan newsletter has been combined with that with that of the other two dioceses. It will be important to keep ourselves visible through that, given the future going forward. Articles put in The Chronicle could be put forward for inclusion.

Closing prayer: led by Fr Craig

Next meeting:

10th November at 7:30 pm in the parish room [SL gives apologies for this meeting]