CAFOD
Representative
Carole Sawyers
The Parish Covenant with the Poor (see 'About' section) commits us to continuing support for CAFOD, the official Catholic aid agency in England and Wales. The parish works closely with the Portsmouth office - CAFOD - using opportunities such as the Lent and Harvest Fast Days to inform the community about the causes of poverty, to campaign for change and to give financial support to CAFOD`s work.
CHURCH IN ABINGDON (CiA)
Chris Chater
Representative
Along with 13 other churches of various denominations in Abingdon, Our Lady and St Edmund’s belongs to the union of churches together called the CiA. We aim to pray, study and work together in order to deepen our Christian faith and put that faith into practice within the community of the town of Abingdon. The CiA gives encouragement to various action groups, such as Christian Aid and Bereavement Support, and financially supports certain projects, such as Street Pastors, 35 Ock St Cafe and the Abingdon Passion Play.
COLLECTION FOR THE HOMELESS
Catherine McFarlane
Representative
We support Emmaus in Oxford with regular donations. Emmaus is a local charity in Oxfordshire which offers homeless people accommodation, support and work. They believe that homeless people need more than a roof over their head to change their lives for the better. They take a long-term approach and get to know and support each person living and working with them. Find out more on their website here.
The Advent collection each year is to help those people who are living on the streets, particularly during the cold months of December and January. We look for new warm clothes, particularly scarves, hats, sweaters, and socks, but toiletry items are also welcome. We deliver donated items to various homeless organizations in Oxford each week throughout December.
CATENIAN ASSOCIATION
Chris Bevan
Representative
The Catenian Association is an international association of Catholic men who meet locally, at least once a month at local branches (or Circles), and who share common values. Members form a close community with shared spiritual values, offering lifelong support and friendship reflecting Christian love for one another and their families. Members are drawn from all walks of life, and, consequently, have a vast range of differing talents and experience, they could, in fact, be a collection of men drawn from any church congregation, all with similar anxieties, aspirations, concerns - but all have a common bond as practicing Catholics. Membership is open to Catholic laymen over the age of 18. We have 10,000 members internationally. The Oxford Circle was established 75 years ago and covers parishes in the North Oxford Deanery (Birmingham Archdiocese), Thames Isis & North Downs Pastoral Areas, (Portsmouth Diocese). For more information email: enquiries@oxfordshire-catenians.uk
LIVE SIMPLY
Representative
Carole Sawyers
Live Simply involves our parish community working to live with a simpler life style, in solidarity with the poor, and living sustainably. The latter is a major element of Pope Francis' recent encyclical letter Laudato Si', which inspires us to reflect on how we care for the earth and all creation. A number of initiatives are taken in order to Live Simply and information from CAFOD can be found here.
LIFE
Mary Mulqueen
Representative
Life is a national charity that provides a nationwide care service for pregnant women, girls with a problem pregnancy, infertility or suffering from the effects of abortion. Life cares by offering free pregnancy testing, confidential counselling, practical help and accommodation for pregnant women in a crisis. There are Life Care Centres throughout the UK and a number of Life Houses locally (e.g. Didcot and Oxford). Life also runs an education programme by giving talks to schools, colleges and other groups.
PAX CHRISTI
Representative
Anne Dodd
In its commitment to the Covenant with the Poor, our parish is to continue and develop its support for a number of organisations working for a world of justice and peace within the framework of the Catholic Social Teaching. One of these is Pax Christi, whose goals of world peace, reconciliation and non-violence draw inspiration from the Sermon on the Mount down to current Papal teaching. Our parish celebrates Peace Sunday in January.