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The SVP Team has been going for almost five years now, and your encouragement and support has been a huge factor in sustaining us.

Last week was another example of this when you responded so generously to the appeal for mobile phones for those we visit at the Colnbrook and Harmondsworth immigration detention centres. We work through the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) when visiting those held in detention and we will shortly deliver the phones that you have donated to the JRS. Rest assured of their thanks and prayers for you, and for all at St Gregory’s. The phones will then swiftly make their way to those in need, and be assured, also, of their thanks and prayers.

The reflective Season of Lent commences on Wednesday, Ash Wednesday. Are you thinking of giving up something for Lent, or maybe doing something new?

If you are thinking of doing something new then why not consider joining our SVP Team? We do a lovely variety of things and are always in need of new volunteers so that we can remain a sustainable team. Our initiatives include the Foodbank, Bereavement Care, Phone-buddying (in place of visits) with the local Care Home, with the housebound and with those being held in detention, Young Persons SVP and Mini-Vinnies (primary school ages).

This weekend you hopefully noticed our first initiative of 2021 in the porch of the church – our new Religious Items shop/stall! We still need a proper name for it so please don’t be shy with your suggestions!

We will set up the shop on the first weekend of each month to start with and, on those weekends, it will be open after each Sunday Mass – from the 5:30pm Mass on Saturday evening and after all masses on Sunday. If you are looking for an item that is not on display, then just have a word with us and we will try and source it for you. The Young Persons SVP will be running this shop/stall with us so please Thank God for such a lovely example of the Holy Spirit in action in our parish.

The recent cold spell reminds us that winter is still with us for a few weeks yet. The lengthening evenings are a sign that Spring is coming, though. Until it arrives, and even when it does, maybe you could keep an eye on your elderly, vulnerable or lonely neighbours. A few social-distanced words, or a knock on the window, can be just what is needed and, funnily enough, it will do your spirit good too! We are blessed to live in such a caring parish, the evidence of which is seen by us each Saturday at the Foodbank, so, ‘Thank You’ in advance for dropping in on your neighbours.

As our first initiative of 2021, the SVP Team are hoping to start a religious items shop/stall in the porch of the church. We are currently identifying some stock and, with the help of the Young Persons SVP, we hope to start after the masses on Feb. 6 and 7. The Young Persons SVP are coming up with a name for the shop/stall, but if you have any ideas then we are all ears!!