Grapevine 5 | News from Adult Formation, Justice & Peace and Caritas

What is mine to do? This edition of Grapevine offers a menu of ministries - just a selection of the opportunities coming to our notice as we develop Caritas in the diocese.  If you're in Derby, volunteer with Padley, the city's homelessness charity.  In Nottingham, could you host a refugee?  If you're in Leicestershire, why not join an ecumenical group responding to the ecological crisis?  Or you could sign up to the Lincoln-based Active Faith Network. 'I am a mission', says Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium, speaking not just for himself but for all of us.  But amid all the world's needs and opportunities it's not always clear what that mission is.  For this in-between time we can do worse than pray with St Francis: 'I have done what was mine to do', he said, 'May Christ teach you what is yours'. And we're delighted that Joe Hopkins has been appointed to accompany us on that journey as the diocesan Director of Adult Formation for Mission.  Welcome, Joe! Paul (Programme Leader for Social Action) Diane (Adult Formation Administrator) PS: There's still time to book for Prepare the future: parishes of welcome, listening and hope on 22 July, our workshop to help parishes to renew local outreach after lockdown.  Scroll down for details. Featured in this issue New Director for Adult Formation and Mission announced Help people return to Mass - booking volunteers sought Derby charity seeks a Catholic trustee - could it be you? Nottingham Hosts sought for refugees and asylum seekers European citizens: Time to apply for Settled Status Please feel free to forward this email to fellow parishioners, or include content in your parish bulletin. Sign up to receive Grapevine direct to your inbox: click here Welcome to our new Director of Adult Formation for Mission We extend a warm welcome to our New Formation Director, Joe Hopkins with whom we look forward to a great working relationship. He will do a great job in bringing the Diocese alive. Congratulations, Joe!! Bishop Patrick writes: 'I'm delighted to announce that, following interviews of some great candidates, Joe Hopkins has been appointed as our Diocesan Director of Adult Formation for Mission. Joe is currently Lead Lay Chaplain to the St. Ralph Sherwin CMAT and he will take up his new post in August. He brings theological expertise, a variety of catechetical experience and great zeal for mission in our diocese. I look forward to working with Joe to make my three themes of 'Encounter, Discipleship and Missionary Discipleship' a living reality across the diocese. I'm sure that you will join me in both welcoming and supporting Joe as he begins this important role. I leave you with a few words from Joe:  'I'm really excited about taking up this important post. I'm looking forward to working with the clergy and laity in our parishes in enabling a culture of 'Encounter, Discipleship and Missionary Discipleship.' My desire is that every person in our diocese will experience afresh, an encounter with God and his life changing love that they will grow as faithful and fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ, and feel equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be missionary disciples; people who witness to their faith by word and action in the Church and the world.’ Help people return to Mass We're building a small team of computer-using volunteers to help people who don't have internet access book for Mass in their parish church.  Could you help? As we ease out of lockdown, our churches are gradually opening up again for Mass.  For some time the capacity will be reduced so that we can keep each other safe.  In most cases parishes will need to take bookings in advance.  Thanks to the generosity and expertise of a parishioner in the diocese, an online booking system is now available for parishes to use.  Of course not every parishioner has access to a computer, particularly our most socially-isolated and elderly parishioners.  Indeed a few parishes may themselves need help, at least for a while.  If you can spare a little regular time each week, could you join, or indeed help to co-ordinate, a rota of volunteers?  Volunteers would take calls from parishioners who have no other means of contact, and log them on the system, particularly for parishes without the means take computer bookings for themselves.  We're setting up a single phone number which can be routed to your phone for a morning or afternoon each week. Whether you're the volunteer co-ordinator, or are taking calls yourself, full training will be given.  The Safeguarding office can help with gaining any necessary clearance for working with vulnerable people. For either role, please email us if you'd like to find out more, without obligation. Could you be a trustee for Padley? Derby’s Padley Group was founded in 1985 by the Sisters of Mercy, based then at the Bridge Gate convent in the city.  It has grown into a diverse organisation providing a broad range of services through their homeless hostel, daycentre and charity shop. Padley’s work is a partnership with volunteers, local churches and statutory agencies.  They are part of our Catholic Partnership for Covid Emergency Relief which is running seven projects around the diocese.  Padley are providing emergency food to homeless and vulnerable people for whom the government provided short-term accommodation at the city’s Holiday Inn early in the pandemic. Now is a good time to renew and strengthen the links between Padley and the Catholic community.  The charity is keen to recruit a Catholic to their Board of Trustees. They are particularly interested in hearing from anyone with skills or experience in property or facilities management, retail management, marketing, fundraising, finance, accounting or healthcare - though wider skills, including simply enthusiasm and commitment, are also very welcome. If you’d like to find out more, contact Di Litchfield at Padley Group who can send you information about what’s involved. Find out more about Padley Group Refugees - our brothers and sisters ‘Refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity, they are brothers and sisters to be welcomed, respected and loved’ - Pope Francis Would you consider offering your spare room for an asylum seeker or refugee to use for a short time? Host Nottingham was founded nine years ago to provide short term accommodation for asylum seekers and refugees in people’s homes.   They have hosted hundreds of guests with dozens of hosts.   As a result of Covid-19 more asylum seekers and refugees in Nottingham are needing short term accommodation, from a few weeks to three months, while more permanent accommodation is found, and Host Nottingham are looking to recruit more hosts.  Would you like to know more about sharing your spare room for a short time?   Host Nottingham would love to meet you and introduce you to others who have hosted to learn more about it and share your questions. Read more about Host Nottingham's invitation to Catholics in Nottingham on the diocesan website Visit Host Nottingham's website for further information Email Jane Henson or call her on 07940 548 832 Greater Lincoln Active Faith Network brings Christians together to work in partnership in Lincoln and beyond.  They produce a highly informative newsletter of Christian outreach in the city and beyond - with many Catholic subscribers!  Sign up for the newsletter Visit them on Facebook Green Christian Leicester & Loughborough is a new local group of Green Christian, the ecumenical network of Christians seeking to live lightly on the Earth, in the spirit of Laudato Si'. It's being gathered by a local member Richard Pickering. Email Richard to find out more New Title from CTS Venerable Carlo Acutis: a Saint for the Digital Age A computer geek who dedicated his life to Jesus, Carlo Acutis died in 2006 at the age of 15, but is already on his way to sainthood! Learn how his life inspires us to embrace the digital age for evangelisation and catechesis in this extract from CTS book Online With Saints: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Time to apply for Settled Status If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, or know someone who is, please note that there is now less than a year left to apply for Settled Status.  The government requires European citizens who have made their homes in the UK to make an application or risk losing their fundamental rights to live and work here. Bishop William Kenney in Birmingham Archdiocese, who is a Swedish citizen, has been through the process himself.  He warns that while many people have found it straightforward, others have faced unexpected obstacles or don’t even realise they’re required to apply. He’s therefore urging people to get their applications in early.  If you know fellow parishioners who might have to apply, please look out for them, and give them any support they need in applying. For more details, and links to useful sources of advice, visit this page on the Bishops' Conference website. Diary dates Wednesday 22 July: Prepare the future Parishes of welcome, listening and hope    A workshop for renewing local outreach after lockdown.     Meeting via Zoom, 3.30 - 5.00 p.m. Click here to book for Prepare the future 14 - 24 August: Imagine...: Join your local workshop by Zoom to build Caritas close to home    Leicestershire and Rutland: Friday 14 August at 2.30 p.m.    Nottinghamshire: Monday 17 August at 11.30 a.m.    Lincolnshire: Thursday 20 August at 7.30 pm.    Derbyshire, High Peak and Burton:  Monday 24 August at 7.30 p.m. Click here to book for Imagine... Zoom novices welcome - send us an email if you'd like tuition!