School Governor Vacancy at St Peters
Webmaster • June 27, 2020
School Governor Vacancy
Have you considered becoming a Governor in a Catholic school?
From October 2020 St Peter’s Catholic Primary School in Shoreham will have a vacancy for a Foundation Governor, due to the retirement of the current incumbent. Governors serve a 4-year term of office. The Governing Body is made up of volunteers who have statutory responsibilities under education legislation. Our Governing Body includes foundation governors (appointed by the Bishop), staff governor, parent governors and local authority governor. Governors work closely with the Headteacher in the strategic planning of the school and to develop a school which the whole community can feel proud of. We meet as a full Governing Body every half term. Foundation Governors are responsible for understanding, maintaining and developing the distinctive nature of the Catholic school. Governors need to be able to commit interest, enthusiasm and time to the tasks that being a governor brings. You will find that the role of a Foundation Governor brings personal reward and satisfaction, although it does mean that you must be prepared to give some time to the work. In order to serve as a Foundation Governor, you will need to be a practising Catholic.
If you think this voluntary role may be of interest to you, or for further information, please contact Mrs Liz Matthews (Clerk) to the Governors by email
To tie in with our hosting of the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibition of Saint Carlo Acutis in the Parish Room at St Peter’s this autumn, we are planning a special day on Saturday 17th October, centred around Saint Carlo Acutis, with a FirstClass Relic. We are fortunate to have speaker Anna Johnstone, Guardian of the Relic and former Governess to the Acutis Family visiting our parish. Since 2017 Anna has given presentations on the life and spirituality of Saint Carlo Acutis, facilitated missions, and helped new Saint Carlo apostolates, across the UK. Anna is a British Catholic convert who read Theology at Cambridge. The day will include mass, prayer, veneration of the relic, adoration, exhibition and talks. You are welcome to all or part of the day. Tea/coffee available; please bring a packed lunch. Exhibition Dates: 17 October – 1 November 2026 You can read more here: Eucharistic Miracles Exhibition
As many of you know about two years ago, I suffered a DVT in my right upper arm. After many tests, the cause was diagnosed as a thoracic outlet problem. This means that a vein and artery in my arm is restricted and, at some angles, the blood supply is cut-off completely. This, I am told, is not good and so I have been on blood thinners for some time and now I am to have surgery to remove the restriction. To make space, some of my rib might have to be removed. I will be out of action for a couple of weeks and return to public celebration of Mass, all being well, at the beginning of October. I am very grateful to Fr Tony, Fr Dominic, Deacon Simon and Antonia. Fr Tony will anoint me after Mass on Monday. I know you have and will continue to keep me and my family in your prayers. Thank you for all your help, understanding and support. God bless you. Fr Graham
Jesus wants us to work for Him. Or better still to live for Him. In the Sunday gospels Jesus uses parables to call us to work in His vineyard. This does not mean He wants us to be in Church all day, but He does want us to be with Him and doing His will all day. We do not have the excuse of being "idle" and saying that "no one has hired us". Jesus not only calls everyone into His kingdom, but He also calls everyone to bring as many people with them as possible. We shouldn’t leave it for others to do. Jesus very clearly treats everyone the same - the reward is heaven. Saint Carlo Acutis, whose relics and Eucharistic Miracles exhibition we are privileged to be hosting soon, had his mind clearly focussed on heaven. It surpasses anything we could desire. Neither should we be under the impression that it is too late or we are not good enough. We may have chosen other priorities in the past, but we can change our mind and choose God now, today. It is never too late to do the will of God. The Church is for forgiven sinners who try to do the will of God and keep choosing Him because He has already chosen us. We cannot do any of this without God's grace and help. The Mass is the source and summit for us - our strength and goal. Only Jesus can save us, hire us, lead us and show us the way. We want to be in and working in His vineyard, His Kingdom, His Church. Live for Him always, Be with Him always. With my prayer for you always. God bless you. Fr Graham
O God, eternal and loving Shepherd, we bless and thank you for the appointment of your servant, Stephen, to our Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. May your Holy Spirit grace him with a spirit of counsel and fortitude, a spirit of knowledge and piety, so that he may gently and courageously sanctify, teach and govern the Church of Arundel and Brighton as we work together to build up the kingdom of heaven. May he be a shepherd after your own heart, who, with compassion and wise discernment, will care for and lead your people with the joy of the Gospel. Through Christ our Lord. Amen Fr Stephen Wang will be installed as the sixth Bishop of Arundel & Brighton on Monday 19 October at 12 noon. The Mass of Episcopal Ordination, which takes place on the Feast of St Philip Howard, will include invited representatives from across our community of faith and will be livestreamed from Arundel Cathedral. Bishop Stephen will celebrate a special Mass of Welcome for people across our Diocese at Worth Abbey near Crawley on Saturday 24 October at 11.30am. Further details will be announced in due course.
It is difficult being a "watchman" or sentry. It is isolating being in a position where it is better to see at a distance. It comes with dangers and the need for vigilance means that the darkest moments of the night are the most important to be alert. Being "faithful to Christ" is like being a sentry, having the long term view of eternal life and seeing the dangers that might threaten it. The whole Church, every disciple, is called to live in such a way - in the world but not of the world. The revived assisted suicide bill (Lauren Edwards), brought back to Parliament for a second reading on 11 September (even though it failed in the last session), is such a danger. It has consequences for the here and now and for the future. The prophet Ezekiel describes the responsibility and consequences for speaking the truth to others concerning following a false way. The psalmist pleads that we do not harden our hearts. Jesus insists that it is the responsibility of the whole church, not just the clergy or religious, to give "evidence" of the truth. The consequences are not just about loss and gain of life but of souls for eternal life. Some might protest that to do the kind thing is to do the loving thing. But, "love does no wrong to a neighbour." It is a misconception to think that love allows anything to happen. Saint Augustine's "Love and do what you will" demands to understand what true love is. God is love. It is in Christ that we have true freedom. With my prayer for every one of you. God bless you. Fr Graham
On Monday (bank holiday), please note mass at The Towers is at 10.00am
Next Saturday ( 5th September ), Adur Valley Catenians will be serving Pimms and Canapes after the 5.30pm mass at The Towers. All are welcome.
Next Friday ( 4th September ) the mass at 9.30am will be offered for Parish Prayer Intentions. Please continue to place any prayer intentions in the boxes at St Peter's (in the Divine Mercy Chapel) and CTK (in the porch). This is followed by Adoration and Confessions, and at the same time, our Mothers Prayers group will meet in the Parish Room (10-11am). Finally, at 4pm, there are prayers for peace in the Divine Mercy chapel.
We will be welcoming Fr John Boles to our parish this weekend. He is the Regional Director of Columban Missionaries Britain, chosen as this year's Diocesan annual Mission appeal. There will be a second collection for their work. To read more, see their website: www.columbans.co.uk
We welcome Fr John Boles, Regional Director of Columban Missionaries Britain, chosen as this year’s Diocesan annual Mission Appeal. There will be a second collection for their work. To read more, see their website: www.columbans.co.uk .