Tag Archives: Finchale Partnership

Finchale Partnership: Property & Community Review

This is the text of the announcement made at last weekend’s Masses across the Partnership:

The Diocese has asked all partnerships to carry out a Property and Community review.

Between 1985 and 2017 Mass attendance in the Diocese fell by more than 64%, but the number of Diocesan buildings has hardly changed. This means that we have too many churches and buildings, and the way they are currently used is unsustainable into the future. This situation places an increasing burden on priests and volunteers to manage property and we cannot afford to meet ongoing running, maintenance and repair costs.  

Now is the time for Partnerships to look ahead and consider what our future property and community needs will be.  The Diocese has asked that we undertake a full review of our buildings and land so that a flexible plan can be developed to maximise their use and sustainability, to meet the needs of our parishes and of the wider community. 

Each parish is asked to carry out a Community Audit, including talking to the local community such as local councils and voluntary groups, to help us think about what our buildings could be used for.  We will be looking for volunteers in all our parishes to make sure there is plenty of communication and consultation with parishioners, and to identify options for use of our buildings.

The Partnership is then asked to look ahead to 2030, taking account of the views of the parishes, financial forecasts, and property appraisals which look at building use and condition, to identify priorities.  A Property Proposals Plan will then be developed and submitted to the Diocese, where it will be reviewed.

The Partnership Development Group is meeting with Jeremy Brock, the Diocesan Property Review Co-ordinator, on 1 October, to find out more about the process.  We will, of course, be working with the Building Committees / volunteers in all of the parishes, and there will be plenty of opportunity for everyone to contribute their thoughts and ideas over the coming months. 

If you think you could help with the Community Audit please contact Margaret Doyle on margaretdoyle1066@sky.com

The Finchale Partnership

The Partnership Development Group met in September.  At the meeting, the PDG discussed a proposal for the amalgamation of parishes in West Durham, and plans for Partnership events over the next few months.  The full minutes of the meeting are available on the our partnership webpages currently hosted at https://www.stcuthberts-durham.org.uk/the-finchale-partnership/partnership-development-group-information

Holy Hours

In his recent pastoral letter, Bishop Seamus asked that we pray that the grace of Jesus Christ will bring hope to the suffering and healing to the wounds of those who have been so deeply hurt by abuse.  He suggested that we should hold Holy Hours in each parish.  In the Finchale Partnership, the Holy Hours will be:

Tuesday 2 October

7.00pm                 St. Cuthbert’s, Durham                 

7.00pm                 St Joseph’s, Ushaw Moor              Mass at 6.30pm

7.00pm                 St Patrick’s, Langley Moor            Mass at 6.30pm

Thursday 4 October

12 noon               St. Cuthbert’s Chapel, Ushaw College

7.00pm                 St. Joseph’s, Gilesgate, Durham

7.00pm                 St John Fisher, Sedgefield, concluding with Benediction

21st June: Mass at Ushaw

Thursday 21st June is the 450th Anniversary of the birth of Aloysius Gonzaga.

The Junior House Chapel at Ushaw was dedicated to the young Saint and his feast was celebrated as a Playday.

Mass will be celebrated in St Joseph’s Chapel, Ushaw, on Thursday 21st June at 12.30pm

The replica statue of Our Lady of Help which was originally in St Aloysius Chapel will be with us in St Joseph’s as we celebrate  the 450th Anniversary Mass.

 

 

 

 

A Day of Reflection for the Finchale Partnership

On Saturday, April 28th we are planning a Day of Reflection at the Parish Centre in Newhouse.  This will be from 10.30am – 3.30pm.  In this Easter season Fr Jeroen (Minsteracres) will lead us in thinking about ‘Discipleship’. This is for all of us in our partnership of parishes but we’d like to extend a special invitation to those people who have been received into the Church over these past few months, and at Easter.  The day will be free of charge but we ask that people sign up on the list at the back of church.  Tea and coffee will be available but maybe participants could bring a packed lunch.

A Day of Reflection for the Finchale Partnership

We are planning a Day of Reflection at the Parish Centre in Newhouse, Esh Winning on Saturday, April 28th from 10.30am – 3.30pm. In this Easter season Fr Jeroen (Minsteracres) will lead us in thinking about ‘Discipleship’. This is for all of us in our partnership of parishes. We’d like to extend a special invitation to those who have been received into the Church over these past few months, and at Easter. The day will be free of charge but we ask that people sign up in their parish to give us an idea about numbers.

The Finchale Partnership at Easter

Maundy Thursday – Mass of the Lord’s Supper

6.30pm St. Patrick’s, Langley Moor
7.00pm Durham Martyrs – St. Godric’s, followed by watching at the Altar of Repose until Night Prayer at 8.45pm
7.00pm Ss Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert, Coxhoe, followed by watching at the Altar of Repose until 9.00pm
7.00pm St. Cuthbert’s, Durham, followed by the stripping of the altars and watching at the Altar of Repose until Compline at 9.50pm
7.00pm West Durham Family of Churches, St Cuthbert’s Chapel, Ushaw College followed by watching at the Altar of Repose until 9.30pm

Good Friday

10.00am Stations of the Cross, St. Patrick’s, Langley Moor
10.00am Tenebrae followed by confessions until 11.00am, St. Cuthbert’s, Durham
10.00am Stations of the Cross, Durham Martyrs – St. Joseph’s, Gilesgate

Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion

3.00pm St. Patrick’s, Langley Moor
3.00pm Durham Martyrs – St. Leonard’s School
3.00pm Ss Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert, Coxhoe
3.00pm St. Cuthbert’s, Durham
3.00pm West Durham Family of Churches, St Cuthbert’s Chapel, Ushaw College

Holy Saturday

10.00am Tenebrae, St. Cuthbert’s, Durham

Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection & First Mass of Easter

5.00pm St. Patrick’s, Langley Moor
6.00pm Ss Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert, Coxhoe
8.00pm Durham Martyrs – St. Leonard’s School
8.30pm St. Cuthbert’s, Durham (followed by light refreshments)
7.30pm West Durham Family of Churches, St Cuthbert’s Chapel, Ushaw College

Easter Sunday Mass

9.00am St. Michael’s, Esh
9.15am St. William’s, Trimdon
10.00am St. Patrick’s, Langley Moor
10.00am Durham Martyrs – St. Leonard’s School
10.00am St. Cuthbert’s, Durham
10.30am Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Newhouse
10.45am St. John Fisher, Sedgefield

West Durham Family of churches have been invited to celebrate Easter at Ushaw to commemorate   the 450th anniversary of the foundation of Douai College: Ushaw’s predecessor in Flanders.

The Finchale Partnership – February meeting of the Partnership Development Group

The Partnership Development Group (PDG) met at the end of February.  At the meeting

  • the PDG supported the proposal from the parishes of Coxhoe, Sedgefield and Trimdon to become one parish.  The proposal has now gone forward to the Episcopal Council.
  • we discussed the appointment of a Youth Ministry Co-ordinator in Durham Martyrs parish; and
  • we discussed the next steps with the Partnership Development Plan following the consultation meeting.

There’ll be more information about the plan after Easter, but in the meantime, you can read the minutes of the PDG meeting here.

The Finchale Partnership

The Partnership Development Group met for the 3rd time in December.  At the meeting, Graham Donachie (the Chair of the PDG) reported back from a Diocesan meeting of PDG Chairs.  We also agreed the guidelines for our own PDG and discussed a draft development plan for the whole Partnership.  This will set our priorities for working together across our 9 parishes over the next few years, and there will be a consultation about these priorities during January and February.  More information will be available very soon.  In the meantime, the full minutes of the meeting are available on our partnership webpages currently hosted at https://www.stcuthberts-durham.org.uk/the-finchale-partnership/partnership-development-group-information

An Advent service for the Finchale Partnership

Our Advent service will be based on the theme of the Jesse tree, and every church in the partnership will be preparing some of the leaves for the tree during the first weeks of Advent.  We will bring all the leaves together at a service on Sunday 17th December at 4.00pm, at St. Cuthbert’s, Durham.  Everyone is welcome and there will be refreshments after the service.

Finchale Partnership event

Thank you to everyone who came along to Ushaw College last Sunday for our first Partnership event.  168 people came from across the Partnership, and, despite the weather, we had a great afternoon, with activities for families, tours of the college and Vespers in St. Cuthbert’s Chapel.  Thank you to Ushaw and their volunteers for their hospitality.

There are some photos of the event here

Finchale Partnership – event at Ushaw

The 9 parishes of the Finchale Partnership are holding our first partnership event at Ushaw on Sunday 23rd July.  It is a chance for us to get to know each other and to pray together.

The afternoon will start at 2.00pm, and you are invited to bring a picnic, to join in games and activities for families, and to enjoy the grounds and the buildings at Ushaw.  There will be the chance to see several exhibitions in the college, including Secret Faith, a new exhibition of artefacts made by Catholics during the 16th-19th centuries, which could be concealed as Catholicism was illegal.  You can also join a guided tour (£5.00 per person) at 3.30pm, but please sign up on the sheet at the back of church, as there are limited places on the tours.

The afternoon will conclude with Vespers in St. Cuthbert’s Chapel at 5.00pm.