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SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
The Aid to Yemen alone will be reduced from £164 million to £87 million – 40%. Ex-cabinet Minister Austin Mitchewll says 100,000 people will die because of the cuts. Cafod Director, Christine Allen said “Plans to cut the Overseas Aid Budget signals our government is turning it’s back on the needy of the world”. Please have a look at the more detailed petition click to read and write to Robert Largan MP, at 18 Market Street, Whaley Bridge, SK23 7LP or email mail@robertlargan.co.uk
Honey & Lip Balm - thanks to everyone in Buxton and Chapel-en-le-Frith who bought honey from John & Lisa Cooper. It has now all been sold and the £200 raised from sales has been donated to church funds via gift aid. John & Lisa now have beeswax lip balm available which they will be selling to raise funds for the Presentation Sisters new charity which supports children in Zambia and Zimbabwe to attend primary and secondary school.
The lip balm is £3 per 10ml pot ( + 50p postage if required). John & Lisa can be contacted via email lisacooper145@gmail.com or call/ text 07709880779
It formally starts this weekend. I suspect that some parishioners know more people in the other parish community than me! I picture it as a getting to know you process for the next year or so and perhaps as well as noticing our losses and what’s not the same any more we will begin to grow more aware of our gains, especially the faith of people in both our communities. I have proposed that there be just one weekend Mass in each church for the next two months from next weekend – Saturday 5 pm at Chapel: Sunday 10 am at Buxton – and people from both places will be very welcome both at weekends and weekdays at both churches. I encourage you all to give it a try – I will! We shall begin a whole parish consultation on the weekend of October 24th and 25th, with the help of Sisters Mary Deane and Susan Richert, who have both experienced their parishes losing their resident priest. I’m hoping we will all get involved and be willing to say what we think both about the times of weekend Mass and our hopes and suggestions for the future.
Look at www.seasonofcreation.org and Cafod.org.uk/pray/season-of-creation for a prayer service and Novena to St Francis.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK AT www.facebook.com/StAnnesRCBuxton
PLEASE PRAY FOR All the children restarting school. Remember Julia Wiggins and David Redfern, the Headteachers of St Anne’s and St Thomas More Schools and all their staff and families that the return might be safe and happy. And all those who are housebound, those in our nursing homes, and those in hospital.
How to be in two places at once? For just that first weekend I’ve invited a visiting priest to look after Buxton on Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 10 am. I will go to Chapel for that Saturday night at 5 pm and there again on Sunday at 11 am. I would like to personally meet as many of the Chapel parishioners as possible and put a proposal to them about having just one Mass there each weekend – and for a trial period making that Saturdays at 5 pm. This would have an immediate effect on St Anne’s, as you can see, and again I propose we cancel Saturday 6 pm Mass at Buxton from September 26th and have just one Mass at St Anne’s on Sundays at 10 am. I realise this will really upset some people in both parishes but unfortunately, I can’t be in both places at once. Sadly, numbers have dwindled at 6 pm Saturday Mass and last weekend there were just 13 people there so this seems to me like the least upsetting option. I would like to highlight that I mean what I say about having a “TRIAL” period and am asking you all to give it a try. I have asked Sister Mary Deane and Sister Susan Richert, both Presentation Sisters, if they will lead an open meeting in Buxton and one in Chapel with a view to them having a joint meeting where we can make some firmer decisions about our future together as two parishes served by the same priest. Please feel free and welcome to let me know what you’re thinking and feeling.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SUE HARDMAN who was awarded the Bishops’ Medal and Certificate last Sunday at Mass. We managed to surprise her! She has been a Governor at St Thomas More School for 25 years and is now resigning. We also say a big thank you to Ann Woolacott who is resigning from the Governors after 10 years service. Our thanks to Brendan Hickey and his wife Gail who came to celebrate the end of Brendan’s being Headteacher at St Thomas More School for the past 11½ years. Clare, Molly, Rosie and Daisy added so much with their singing.
BOOKING YOUR PLACE FOR PUBLIC MASS You will need to book your place(s) at www.massbooking.uk, for anyone who can’t book online please phone 0115 648 1474 (Mon-Fri, 9 am-4 pm only). Our numbers will be limited because we shall keep a 2metre social distance and only use every other pew. See our homepage on the website.
LIVESTREAMING SUNDAY MASS will continue for the foreseeable future. We are currently waiting for new equipment which will improve the sound quality.
OUR THANKS TO LESLEY CROWTHER AND IWONA LUSAKIK who are our creative team who continue to decorate the sanctuary.
HIGH PEAK CLERGY CHANGES Bishop Patrick has asked me to become parish priest of St John Fisher and St Thomas More Church, Chapel en le Frith in addition to St Anne’s from September 2020 and I have agreed. Fr Kevin Gradwell is moving to St Mary’s, Grantham, and Fr Daniel Palmer is becoming parish administrator for New Mills and Marple Bridge. Sadly, Fr John Cairns is poorly and still having chemotherapy treatment.
FATHER GERRY’S HOLIDAYS
OUR CHURCH GARDENS are being so well cared for by Peter and Kazia Skrobot. They would be very happy for you to help them.
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR STEWARDS
REOPENING THE CHURCH FOR PUBLIC MASS
There are a number of new protocols and procedures in place that we all need to keep to so that we are as SAFE as possible.
1. Book your place(s) on a bespoke online booking system www.massbooking.uk which has been launched this week. If you want to book a place at Mass by phone please call 0115 6481474. They will confirm your request and give you a seat allocation. This is to comply with ‘Track and Trace’ procedures
7. The priest will say “The Body and Blood of Christ” to the whole assembly to which they reply “Amen” before giving out Holy Communion in silence on the hand only. Please wait for the Stewards to invite you to come forward. Please return by the one-way system within the church.
8. At the end of Mass please wait for the Stewards to invite you to leave your seat to ensure social distancing.
WE NEED STEWARDS FOR ALL PUBLIC MASSES
LIVESTREAMING MASS Thank you all those who let us know what you want for the immediate future. It was an overwhelming “carry on, please”. We shall, and will maintain Mass-goers privacy by only filming what takes place on the Sanctuary.
CLARIFICATION From Bishop Patrick. “Healthy parishioners over 70 years can serve as Stewards or in any other capacity at church if they so wish. The obligation to celebrate Sunday Mass continues to be suspended until further notice. If you are shielding and are unsure of your personal safety, please don’t come to public Mass. Watch it online if possible”.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK AT www.facebook.com/StAnnesRCBuxton
ST THOMAS MORE SCHOOL had 84% of Year 10 at school last week and 82% this week. Well done Mr Hickey and Staff, and all the pupils and parents too!
ST ANNE’S SCHOOL in addition to Year 6, Reception, and the Key Workers and vulnerable groups are hoping to open for Year 1 children very shortly. Well done to Mrs Wiggins and all the staff!
We would need to invest in a proper camera and some new sound equipment but I am happy to do so if you would like it.
HIGH PEAK FOODBANK Some good news. I have obtained a grant of £4,500 from the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation to fund a part-time advice and advocacy worker for our local Foodbank. They will work with Foodbank users on advice for benefit claims, utility costs etc, so as to avoid the need for return visits. Paul Bohan, the Director, who visited us 18 months ago, completed the application super quickly and the Diocese of Nottingham formally applied for and obtained the grant.
CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
Mrs Yogi Sutton, the Chair, released this statement on June 3rd.
“I am appalled that year after year, brutality to our fellow human beings still occurs because of racism. The latest death of George Floyd is in danger of becoming yet another statistic. There will be widespread protests and then ...silence.... nothing will change.
I want to call upon people around the world, especially Catholics because we believe that we are ALL made in the image and likeness of our creator to speak up for justice by acknowledging racism in all its forms.
Any addict will tell you that there is no cure until one accepts that one is an addict. In the same way, we must acknowledge we are racist. If we genuinely understand and accept this, then we will face the road to solutions.
Antiracist training should become part of every profession and administration. It should be part of the curriculum in schools. We should learn how to respect, accept and live with and alongside one another in joyful, peaceful harmony.”
LINK TO WEEKLY PRAYER, reflections & activités with Chris the chaplain for St. Thomas More school. Centred around the Gospel for Sunday Mass.
THANK YOU to parishioners who have sent me cheques for their weekly collections and 100 Club Members who are paying monthly by cash.
UNITE AGAINST CORONA VIRUS
Ensure any vaccine developed with UK public money is available to everyone in the world
Provide urgent financial and technical support to help developing countries in this crisis
Cancel all debt payments due in 2020 so that it can be spent on healthcare.
THANK YOU to our Livestream Team of Margaret and Ken Swift and to our creative team of Lesley Crowther and Iwana Lusakik. It’s really supportive that so many of you thank them by name after each Mass on Facebook.
CAFOD EMERGENCY APPEAL CAFOD launched its Coronavirus Emergency Appeal on 30 April. The effects of Coronavirus on developing countries where CAFOD works are likely to be devastating. Families without enough to eat and without access to clean water and healthcare are particularly vulnerable to Coronavirus. The poorest and most marginalised communities will be pushed further into poverty. Your prayers and gifts are needed now more than ever to help protect the lives of those in poor communities. While we are not able to hold physical collections in our church you can donate as individuals at cafod.org.uk/coronavirusappeal or as a parish – send a cheque to Fr Gerry made out to “Cafod Coronavirus Appeal”. Thanks to those who have posted donations to the parish address. I will forward them to CAFOD.
STREET BY STREET - LOCAL INITIATIVES
DIOCESAN NEWS FROM ADULT FORMATION, JUSTICE AND PEACE AND CARITAS
The second is to open Zoom and click on Join. When prompted enter the Meeting ID:727 8529 0870 and the Password 011438. You will have to enable access to your device’s microphone and camera, depending on your device this should be at the bottom of the page. You also might have to type in your name before you join everyone in the coffee morning. Bring your own refreshments!
ZOOM St Anne’s Community Choir: We are continuing to meet through these challenging times. It’s very sociable and you won’t be singing on your own! Why not come along and meet us? We meet via Zoom on Fridays at 16:30: The joining details are: Topic: St Anne’s Community Church Choir Time: Fridays 04:30 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83080608896?pwd=YXpDa293VyswWnJBTDEyYStNTXBodz09
IMPORTANT: if the connection closes while the meeting is still in progress then please log in again and you will be returned to the meeting immediately.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK AT www.facebook.com/StAnnesRCBuxton
LIVE STREAMING
Thank you to those who encouraged us to try it and thank you to those who have expressed their appreciation afterwards. A special thank you to Magaret and Ken Swift for making it practically possible. We are on a sharp learning curve as a team and hopefully will improve with practice! The experience brings home to me our attachment and love for St Anne’s Church and the parish community. It reminds me, too, of my importance as your parish priest and of your attentiveness to my words and actions. It’s quite a challenge but one that I carry strengthened by the Holy Spirit reminding me that all together we are God’s people here in the High Peak.
PARISH WEEKLY COLLECTIONS
Several parishioners have asked me what they should do with their weekly planned giving envelopes or cash donations. Some have told me they will send me a cheque payable to “Buxton R.C.P.” Others have said they will change to giving by Standing Orders forms (printable from our website). Thanks to all those who already give through Standing Orders. You give about 35% of our weekly collection. Thank you all for whatever way you contribute! The new planned giving boxes are due to start this weekend April 11th and 12th. Obviously I can save them until we return to church. In the meanwhile, most of our regular maintenance and expense costs continue as normal. This might be the right time to change to Standing Orders or you can send me a cheque now or later or you can put some cash for the parish in your piggy bank at home. Thank you all for thinking of our financial needs in this period without Sunday collections.
LOCAL INITIATIVES There’s a very active local Facebook Group, Buxton Street by Street COVID-19 support group. See https/buxtonstreetbystreet.co.uk for information about takeaways, local supermarkets and grocery deliveries.
PLEASE REMEMBER these babies (Madeline, Freya and Francis) and their families whose Baptisms were arranged for these Sundays. Remember too those who are regularly on our list of the sick and the housebound. The whole country is praying for all those who work for the N.H.S. and the Caring Services. Remember the staff and pupils of St Thomas More School and St Anne’s School as they continue their education work in new ways.
FR GERRY IS AVAILABLE On the phone 01298 23777 or by email stannesbuxton@gmail.com. You are welcome to contact him as well to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick for someone who is seriously ill. Thanks to those who came to light a candle and pray in St Anne’s Church over last weekend and on Monday.
FUNERALS Sadly, the church is closed for Funeral Services which will now have to take place either at the graveside or in the Crematorium.
GOOD NEWS STORIES
Lots of people are phoning, skyping, shopping, even getting their lawns cut by their neighbours. Don’t forget the High Peak Foodbank when you visit the supermarket.
Click logo for Year Book 2011 - 2012


Many thanks to everyone who helped, particularly to Mike who acted as Auctioneer with great humour and skill and some wonderful individual bids undoubtedly came as a result of his gentle cajoling. Thanks also to Bruce who dealt with the bids, to Angela and Aileen for doing the refreshments, to Rob for all the printing and to Fr Dennis for all the advance publicity. Last but not least, thanks to everyone who kindly donated an item to auction or who bid for one or more of the lots.
We shall have a truly wonderful Flower Festival. We shall display a full list of the lots, donors & money raised at the back of the church from this evening.
Best wishes, Margaret Robinson