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The school holidays are almost upon us now, so young readers might be wondering how to spend all their free time! Why not think about some voluntary work, to help those less fortunate than you? As Jesus tells us, you are now His eyes, His ears, His hands and you need to use your gifts to help do His work on Earth.

Think about where you live, and who lives near you. Become actively aware of what is around you and how you might help fix things! Start with small things, like helping an elderly person pack their groceries while you’re standing in the queue watching! Say ‘Hello’ to your neighbours! Say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ more often! All these little things can really change the day for the person on the receiving end. And, when you return to school, why not then join, or start, Mini-Vinnies in Primary School or join B-Attitudes here at church if you’re in Secondary School. We have recently welcomed, for example, three new 14-year-old volunteers to Saturday foodbank and they are doing a tremendous job for us! Have a think, and spend your free time wisely this summer!!

‘Hope Springs Eternal’ is a poem, and phrase, that many will remember from schoolday studies of the works of Alexander Pope. Hope is not to be underestimated and, as such, the UN has declared July 12 as the International Day of Hope.

Hope is part of the DNA of the SVP. It is that special ripple that emanates, almost invisibly, from every little act of kindness. Once that ripple has started, no one can be sure where it will end and what lovely effects it may cause along the way. We see this every Saturday in food bank, for example. And we see it, very much so, at the detention centre. I guess you could call it an unintended consequence of your good deed. Never underestimate the effect it can have on the person on the receiving end.

As we enter July, this is just a reminder that our regular monthly SVP activities are poised to click in to action!!

On Wednesday morning, after the 10am Mass in the hall, we will have our Bereavement Support Group available to offer you a cuppa and a biscuit and a listening ear. Then, after the weekend masses, next Saturday evening and Sunday, we will be running our SVP shop, called ‘Gifted.’ If you would like to buy any religious items for you or your family and friends, Gifted has a lovely selection of candles, prayer cards, rosary beads and the like. Even if you don’t want to buy anything then just pop by the counter anyway for a chat! It is always lovely to see the activity and chatter that Gifted generates!!

Our local SVP group is known as a ‘conference’ and it is part of the national SVP England and Wales, which itself is part of the International Confederation of the SVP. The SVP England and Wales CEO is Kate Nightingale, to whom our conference ultimately reports, and the President General of the international SVP is Juan Manuel Buergo Gomez.

These two websites have a wealth of information on the work being done by the many members of the SVP throughout the world. They have all the latest news of upcoming events too. Knowing that our parish has many keen walkers, you might like to check out the SVP Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage 2026, being organised by the national team. And while you’re browsing that, you might also find other items of interest, such as the latest national SVP Report on the issue of ‘In-Work Poverty.’ We all have a duty to make ourselves aware of such issues, which arise from how we have chosen to run our society. It is an excellent read.

Last week (June 2-8) was the UK’s annual Volunteer Week and it was also Pentecost Sunday, of course. Volunteering to do works for the good of your local, or global, community, is merely a manifestation of the Holy Spirit that humankind first received on the very first Pentecost Sunday. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are what are at work when volunteers are at work!

Does something deep inside you sometimes move you to want to help others? And perhaps you’re not sure how best to respond? This may well be the Holy Spirit prompting your soul in to action. The SVP has a range of opportunities; the food bank, bereavement support group, visiting the lonely at home, in care homes or in refugee detention centres, helping the SVP shop that we named ‘Gifted’, mentoring the next generation of young volunteers, etc. If any of these sound interesting and if you think they might help you respond to that inner prompting, then why not get in touch with us? We are always looking for new members.