Happy Easter again everyone! We have come to the end of the Easter Octave in which every day is Easter Sunday. On Easter Sunday, I got a call from a cousin who was using the day to give thanks for the things in his life. What a good idea! This is a great daily prayer to remember the blessings in our lives. With that in mind, let’s give thanks to the many groups in our parish who keep things keeping on.
First, a big thank you to Mr Gerard Lewis and the staff at our parish primary school. They were well ahead of the game before Easter, preparing students and families for the upcoming reality of learning from home. Now, they have organised not only to supervise the children that have to come to school, but also continuing to teach all the children who are able to stay at home. We are incredibly grateful for their professionalism and obvious care. It is a great sign of a wonderful community, and one that has been recognised by many.
Second, thank you to all the families and individuals who have contacted us with offers of help. Both through the school and the parish office, there have been many people ringing up with offers of food and service. We are all aware of the challenges that people are facing – working in new surrounds, looking for work, self-care, as well as teaching, caring for and entertaining children – and so to look beyond themselves, to be immediately aware of those less fortunate, is a wonderful testament to Christian charity.
Third, I must thank the parish staff who have been working hard to keep the parish functioning. Bernadette has been calling everyone in our database, and in particular those who have fewer people checking in. Amy has been maintaining the various financial matters and dealing with the many people who have had to adjust their plans. Cornelia has been continuing her fantastic work on improving our child-safety processes. Also, Deacon Jim, who in addition to working hard for Caritas and Project Compassion in a very difficult environment, helped with our Holy Week liturgies. And I cannot forget the various ancillary staff (Carol and Neville, Brett, Thelma, James, Yasser and Maryam) who do so much behind the scenes to keep the parish ticking over.
Finally, thank you to the many people who made contact to wish us all a blessed Easter, to those who have rung up to check on everyone here, to those who have changed their parish-giving to make sure the collection comes in, and to those who dropped around chocolate secretly. I have obviously missed out many people, and so to everyone who is doing small things to keep the parish alive through relationships of care: happy Easter, thank you and God bless.