Our Lady of Grace Conference

Meeting of Thursday 28/04/2016

Since our last meeting our Vincentians have undertaken a total of 16 visits to people in the local community, providing support and companionship to the housebound, helping with shopping and supporting those in need by giving out grants or other help.

Opening prayers included a reading from the SVP manual “God loves a cheerful giver”.   Members then discussed visits made, correspondence received and various other matters including the dates of the next SVP collection and for the mass for the sick and housebound in the autumn.  The next SVP collection will take place on 05/06/2016 at all masses and the mass for the sick and housebound will take place at 11.30am on 17/09/2016.

The meeting ended with prayers for the special intentions of the members, those who had asked for prayers and for a baby critically ill in hospital.

“O God, in our hearts, we name those who are facing illness and pain. We join our prayers with the prayers of all who love them. Give them renewed comfort and courage. Strengthen in them the healing powers You have placed within us all. Guide the hands and heart of those who are entrusted with their care.

May the knowledge of your love and ours give added hope to them and to their dear ones. May they find even greater strength because our prayers are linked with theirs.

Our Lady of Grace Conference

Meeting of Thursday 14/04/2016 

Since our last meeting our Vincentians have undertaken a total of 14 visits to people in the local community, providing support and companionship to the housebound, helping with shopping and supporting those in need by giving out grants or other help.

Opening prayers included a reading from the SVP manual “What is simplicity?”.   Members then discussed visits made, correspondence received and various other matters including initial plans for the mass for the sick and housebound in the autumn.

The meeting ended with prayers for the special intentions of the members, those who had asked for prayers and for a baby critically ill in hospital.

“Father we ask for Your healing touch on the lives of all babies who are critically ill.   Comfort them and ease their suffering and discomfort.
Give the doctors the wisdom to treat their illnesses correctly and quickly.

Strengthen and help their parents and all who are involved in the nursing care.

Give them all they may need to continue to look after such sick children, knowing that You care for little children and are the One who heals.”

 

Our Lady of Grace Conference

Meeting of Thursday 31/03/2016   

Since our last meeting our Vincentians have undertaken a total of 22 visits to people in the local community, providing support and companionship to the housebound, helping with shopping and giving out Easter grants to those in need.       

After the opening prayers members discussed various matters including travel arrangements for the Festival at Thornleigh.  The funds available, initial plans for the Holiday grants and various other matters were also discussed.

The meeting ended with prayers for the repose of the souls of two parishioners who had sadly died and for the people of Belgium following the recent tragedies there and for an end to strife.

Using the second Eucharistic prayer for reconciliation we pray:

“Gracious God, in the midst of conflict and division we know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.

Your spirit changes our hearts: enemies speak to one another, those who were estranged join hands in friendship, and nations seek the way of peace together.

Your spirit is at work when understanding puts an end to strife, when hatred is quenched by mercy, and vengeance gives way to forgiveness.

For this we should never cease to thank and praise you.”

Our Lady of Grace Conference

Meeting of Thursday 10/03/2016

Since our last meeting our Vincentians have undertaken a total of 26 visits to people in the local community, providing support and companionship to the housebound, helping with shopping and giving flowers and a card to a lady who celebrated her 91^st birthday.  Members also supplied transport, kept in touch with people by phone, gave clothes to families and distributed small grants to those in need. 

After the opening prayers members discussed various matters including the district meeting, which members had attended.  A phone call was also received during the meeting informing members of the sad death of a parishioner.

The meeting ended with prayers for the repose of the soul of the parishioner who had died that day and for God to provide support and comfort for all those in the parish visited by the SVP.

Using the prayer of Saint Ignatius of Antioch we pray:

Receive in tranquillity and peace, O Lord,

The soul of your servant

Who has departed this present life to come to you.

Grant her rest and place her in the habitation of light,

The abode of blessed spirits.

Give her the life that will not age,

Good things that will not pass away,

Delights that have no end,

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Our Lady of Grace Conference

Meeting of Thursday 11/02/2016

                                                                                                                           

In the past two weeks our Vincentians have undertaken a total of 22 visits to people in the local community and care homes, providing support and companionship to the housebound, helping with shopping and undertaking with other tasks.  They also supplied transport so elderly parishioners could attend a funeral at Our Lady of Grace church and so they could go shopping, kept in touch with people by phone  and distributed small grants to those in need.

                                                       

After the opening prayers members discussed the various matters including the documents that were to be donated to the new archive, the vacant post of president for the District Council and what would happen to the district if the post remained unfilled.

The meeting ended with prayers for comfort for those in the parish who are bereaved and all who had asked for prayers.

Oh God,

Comfort those who are bereaved and all who need your help and support, strengthen them with hope and breathe peace into their troubled hearts.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Our Lady of Grace Conference

Meeting of Thursday 28/01/2016

                                                                                                                           

In the past two weeks our Vincentians undertook a total of 18 visits to people in the local community, providing support and companionship to the housebound and helping with other tasks.  They also kept in touch with people by phone and distributed small grants to those in need.

                                                       

After opening with prayers members discussed the Salford Diocese archive for the Central Council, with one older member talking about some of the work done in the past.  The importance of ensuring safe disposal of confidential material was also emphasised

The meeting ended with prayers for our own intentions and for a parishioner whose funeral was due to take place shortly.

“Stay with us Lord on our journey.”

Our Lady of Grace Conference

Meeting of Thursday 14/01/2016

                                                                                                                           

Over the Christmas and New Year period our Vincentians undertook a total of 112 visits to people in the local community.  They delivered Christmas cards and presents to the elderly and families, provided support and companionship to the housebound, helped with shopping, and paying bills and distributed grants to those in need.

                                                       

At the meeting the outcome of the collection at all masses before Christmas and the District Council minutes were discussed.   Correspondence had also been received from OLOG Conference’s twin in Andhra Pradesh, India and arrangements were made for a response.

Prayers at the end of the meeting were offered for three parishioners who had sadly died.

Using the prayer of St Ignatius of Antioch for those who have died we pray:

"Receive in tranquillity and peace, O Lord, the souls of your servants who have departed this present life to come to you. Grant them rest and place them in the habitations of light, the abodes of blessed spirits. Give them the life that will not age, good things that will not pass away, delights that have no end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."