Parish News

The next talk in the Horizons of Hope series will be given by Dr Jordan Pullicino who is a lecturer in Pastoral Theology at St Mary's Oscott. It will be held on Saturday 5th April, 10.00am - 12.30pm at Hedley Lodge, Belmont Abbey, Hereford HR2 9RZ. All are welcome.

WOW (Widow or Widowers) group Since 2022 we have steadily grown in numbers and now there are almost twenty of us, aged from 65 to 80+. We meet in the Belmont parish centre on the first Tuesday of the month at 11 O'clock, share a cuppa, cake and friendly chat. We also have some sort of activity, in March it was pancakes (as the meeting fell on shrove Tuesday) supplied by the kitchen at Belmont Abbey, and a quiz. Last month we had a game of “Bird Bingo” which was enjoyed by all. We go for the occasional meal out, the Cider Orchard Restaurant at the college being a particular favourite. In the summer months we have been on outings to local National Trust Properties. We go to parish events as a group meaning there is always someone you know to sit with. As a group we help with the Annual Summer Fete either as stall holders, washer ups or car park attendants. Although based at Belmont Abbey, the group is open to any widow or widowers not just parishioners, several of our members are non-catholic. That said, we always start the meeting with our WOW Prayer,where we particularly remember our loved ones’ anniversaries. New to this year I have also started to do a newsletter for the group. Anyone interested can just turn up on the meeting day or in any further info is required my email is: juliemirfin@btinternet.com . March 25 Newsletter

Our Lady’s Community Hall, Belmont Road, Hereford, is a large multipurpose space. It offers low-cost venue hire and support services for local residents, including families using the adjacent primary school. Built in the 1950s, the building needs upgrading so it can be used by more people. We want to make sure the redevelopment meets the needs of all the community. A public survey will be open until 31 March. It only takes five minutes and at the end you can enter a draw to win £50 of gift cards of your choice. Have your say here … https://Devonconsultants.co.uk/OurLady Or use the QR code underneath: Open the Camera app on your phone. Hold your phone so that the QR code appears in view. Tap the notification to open the link associated with the QR code.

Our Lady’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Boycott Road, Hereford, HR2 7RN is looking for a new headteacher, (Group 3 Leadership pay range), full-time, permanent position. Required for 1st September 2025. A senior leadership application form, Notes to Applicants, Recruitment Monitoring and Rehabilitation of Offenders form can be downloaded at www.our-ladys.hereford.sch.uk Closing Date: 12noon on Monday, 17th March 2025.

11th March, 10:30am – Community Coffee Morning, CAB in attendance. 25th March, 10:30am – Community Coffee Morning, CAB in attendance. These coffee mornings will be held regularly on Tuesday mornings every 2 weeks and are open to all. 13th April - Easter Raffle and Easter Hat Parade after Morning Mass. 17th May - Parish Quiz. 13th July – Bring a dish to share, Pimm’s, strawberries and cream. 26th September – MacMillan Coffee Morning. 11th October – Parish Quiz. 18th October – Jumble Sale. 15th November – Christmas Fayre. 7th December – Christmas Lunch, bring a dish to share plus raffle. To be arranged, Bingo, Children’s Film Night, Children’s Quiz.

As part of our ‘Warm Spaces Project’ the parish will be hosting a coffee morning on Tuesday 25th March from 10.30am in the Parish Hall. Representatives from the Citizens Advice Bureau will be in attendance for private consultations. Please do your best to support the coffee morning and bring your friends as holding these community events improves our chance of obtaining Lottery grants and other funding towards our hall renovations. Thereafter, regular coffee mornings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month.

We are thrilled to announce that the Cardiff-Menevia Youth led by Father Martin Donnelly on behalf of the Cardiff Menevia Youth Council will be joining 10,000 others at Wembley Arena on 15th March 2025 for the much-anticipated return of the CYMFed FLAME Congress! We’ve secured a limited number of seats on behalf of the Archdiocese of Cardiff Menevia at just £31 per person, which includes transportation (please bring your own packed lunch). We hope these seats will be near the front of the arena! Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and are only fully confirmed upon payment of the ticket price (you will receive an email with payment details once you have booked). This incredible event is open to young people from Year 9 (typically 14 years old) to university age. Due to the nature of the content, it’s not suitable for those in Year 8 or younger. The day will be filled with: Inspiring speakers from around the world Award-winning musicians Representatives from various organizations The event will conclude with Adoration led by most of the Bishops of England and Wales. If you would like to attend, please sign up through link: https://forms.gle/6bD2kM3hfQv2sFjC9 or scan QR code on poster by Friday 21 st February 2025. Please contact Fr Martin Donnelly on olqpllanelli@btinternet.com or Deacon Christian Mahoney on youth@rcadc.org 07764515864 if you require further details. We can’t wait to share this unforgettable experience with you!

The Holy Father has decided that 2025 will be a year of Jubilee, something which happens every 25 years. The theme is “Pilgrims of Hope” We are all on a pilgrimage towards Heaven, towards ‘sharing the glory of God’, as St Paul puts it. Any pilgrimage or journey is sustained by hope: hope in the destination. We are currently preparing for the Jubilee Year 2025, which Pope Francis has given the theme, Pilgrims of Hope. We might say that this Jubilee Year, and our preparations for it, are another pilgrimage within that great pilgrimage of our faith, one in which we seek to deepen our sense of hope in God’s promises, in ‘sharing the glory of God’. As we look at the world around us, hope is something that is very much needed in these times. We need it, too, in our personal lives, in the lives of our families, and as a virtue cultivated in all of our relationships. It is important that we share the hope we gain in faith, with others, a hope borne of the knowledge of God’s love and the experience of knowing Jesus Christ. Our Year of Preparation for the Jubilee Year is to be a year of prayer, focusing, in particular, on the Lord’s Prayer, in order to foster our relationship with God our Father. This will open us up to receiving the graces and blessings that He wishes to bestow on us during the Jubilee Year…Archbishop Mark O’Toole.

Our small team of volunteers needs more help with the soup lunches on Saturdays from 11.30am to 1.30pm. We serve tea, coffee, soup, bread & butter and biscuits to a small group of regular visitors. It is easy to do, no qualifications are needed except a willingness to be on a flexible rota and chat to those we support. Contact Denise, John or pop along one Saturday to see how it works. Thank you!