All Abilities Group

We encourage inclusion of people with disabilities into the life and mission of the church community. We meet four times a year. Each Sunday we sit together at the 9:30am Mass. We produce a Christmas Nativity every year, and celebrate its success with a party for cast and friends early in the New Year. In July we join with other parishes from the diocese to celebrate our special gifts at Aylesford Priory. Contact person: Marie Rooney – (020) 8683 1519

Altar Servers

We are blessed with a healthy band of over 70 Altar Servers at St. Andrew’s. We are the oldest member parish for the Guild of St. Stephen in Southwark. Anyone who has made his or her First Communion and is in year 6 or above is eligible to join us. A new Servers’ course will take place on three consecutive Saturdays during Lent. Once every thing has been learned properly the new servers will be put into a team. There are twelve teams, three for each Mass. Sunday evening servers will usually learn how to serve at Benediction as well but that opportunity is open to anyone who wishes. Contact persons: John Opara:  [email protected]

A.P.F. The Association for the Propagation of the Faith See Missio

Baptism Preparation Course

The aim of this course is to help parents to prepare for the Baptism of their children. The course offers the opportunity for parents to meet, share, discuss and explore the meaning of Baptism and how they can best bring up their child as a Catholic. This course is run six times a year over three consecutive Thursdays from 8:00pm to 9:15pm. The sessions take place in January, March, May, July, September and November. Week 1 covers Welcoming/At the Door. Week 2 covers Passing on Faith. Week 3 is a rehearsal in the church for the baptismal ceremony itself.  Contact via Pastoral Team

 Beavers

The Beavers are for boys aged six to eight years. They meet at St. Andrew’s Church Hall on Monday evenings. Their motto is ‘Fun and Friends’. The leaders do a lot of craft work with the boys and make things to play with. They also make gifts for parents on special days. They go on outings to different places and play lots of games. Contact person: Linda Blackman, Beaver Scout Leader – (020) 8665 7900

Brownies

The 58th Croydon St. Andrew’s Brownie Pack meets on a Friday evening 6:30pm – 7:45pm at St. James the Great School. We follow the Guide Association 8 point programme and provide games and challenges to suit the girls age group. The girls work on a variety of Badges and develop skills and friendships along the way. Because of our limited numbers we do have a waiting list and some girls are disappointed at not getting a place, although we do tell parents that we are run the same way as any other Brownie unit and, once their daughter is enrolled as a Brownie, if she has had to join another unit she is more than welcome to join us at Church Parade.  Contact person: Maggie Turner – (020) 8240 7129

CaFE.

CaFE stands for Catholic Faith Exploration. It is a fairly new programme of adult religious education and formation. Its aim is to help adult Catholics to grow in the knowledge, love and practice of their faith. There is a similar series for young people called Youth CaFE. St. Andrew’s began its first CaFE course in October 2002 and the response to each module has been very positive. The CaFE programme uses videos in the context of a relaxed and informal atmosphere (so a real café style!) that encourages people to learn more about and to become more enthusiastic about their faith. Contact person: Salvina Bartholomeusz – (020) 251 9034 or 07711332267

 C.A.F.O.D.

C.A.F.O.D. stands for Catholic Aid for Overseas Development. CAFOD campaigns for global justice and financially supports third world countries with contributions collected from efforts such as the twice annual Parish Fast Day collections, Friday Lunches, etc. At St. Andrew’s everyone is warmly invited to the First Friday CAFOD Lunch each month from 12:30pm to 2:00pm in our hall. Contact person: Frances Gilbert – (020) 8689 7319

Catering Grape Vine

“I am the Vine, you are the branches” says the Lord. Our small team co-ordinates and liaises when occasions arise in the parish for catering needs; we are the vine. Everyone in this parish is a branch! Needs for occasions are printed in the Newsletter and the response by parishioners is always reliable and generous. Contact person: Sheila McDowell – (020) 8665 0363

Catholic Nurses Guild

The Croydon Deanery of the Catholic Nurses Guild meets every two months at various venues. We are a support for nurses who may be finding difficulty in their work with moral or ethical issues. We support each other through our prayers and socially and share knowledge with other nurses nationally. Contact person: Patricia Ajisafe (020) 8684 9021; Beverley Lindsay (020) 8684 3620

Charismatic Prayer Group

Catholic Charismatic Renewal Started in 1967 in the United States of America and was started in St. Andrew’s Parish in 2005. The aim of Charismatic Renewal is to help people live their Catholic faith and manifest all the gifts/fruits of the Holy Spirit. In the words of Pope John Paul II, “Because of the Spirit, the Church preserves a youthful vitality. And the Charismatic Renewal is an eloquent manifestation of this vitality today, a bold statement of what ‘the Spirit is saying to the Churches’ (Rev. 2:7).”

Programs and Activities

• Prayer Meetings (involving praises & worship, prayer sessions and bible discussions);
• Bible Study; Charity programs;
• Seminars; Crusades;
• retreat and evangelisation; And
• assisting in the Parish activities.

We have different ministries vis-à-vis Prayer, Evangelical, Singing, New Comers and Children’s’ ministries. We meet in the Church every Sunday from 7pm to 9pm. Come and worship with us.

 Contact Person:

• Mr. Simon Maduekwe – 07947 493683 (Co-ordinator)
• Betty Kyohairwe – 07833740651  (Assistant Co-ordinator)

Safeguarding

At St Andrew’s we have implemented Diocesan guidelines and developed our own safeguarding which is geared to the needs of the parish. Copies of the policy are available in the church porch or upon request from the Safeguarding Team. All volunteers who wish to work with our children, young people and vulnerable adults are provided with an information pack, which contains the policy guidelines and an application forms. A Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure Application is made via the Diocesan Safeguarding Office and references are taken up. Training is organised from time to time to ensure familiarity with the current practice.

The current Safeguarding Team are Josephine Duvwiama, Lesley Brennan who are available to give advice, in confidence, on any safeguarding concerns or to answer any queries on the policy.

 Contact Person:

• Josephine Duvwiama (020) 8777 1039
• Lesley Brennan (020) 8665 7947

Children’s Liturgy

Children’s Liturgy of the Word takes place each Sunday of the school term at the 9:30am and 11:30am Masses, except for the second Sunday of each month, (which is Parade Sunday for the uniformed groups). The children are called forward by the priest at the beginning of Mass and process into the hall where they explore the theme of one of the Scripture readings using songs, stories, drama, prayer and craft activities. All children aged between three years up the time of making their First Holy Communion are welcome to join us. Children under four should be accompanied by a parent or carer.  Contact Persons: Stephanie Fleary- (020) 8665 9346 (9.30 Mass); Liz Fatoba – (020) 8765 0221 (11:30 Mass)

 Choirs

The 9:30am Choir leads the music at the music every week, except the 4th Sunday.Practices usually take place in the church on the third Friday of the month, 7.30 to 9:00pm. New singers and musicians are always welcome, just come and introduce yourselves to one of the choir after Mass. Contact person: Jennifer Da Silva (Choir Secretary) -07712273024 (mobile) or (020) 87718749

The 11:30am Choir exists to provide a lead to the singing at the 11:30am Mass. The music is more traditional in style and from time to time the group will sing an anthem and/or a Latin Mass. New members are always welcome – especially male voices Contact person: Eugenie Fatoba – (020) 8765 0221

The Youth/Children’s Choir leads the music at the 9.30 Mass on the Fourth Sunday of each month. We practice each week after the 9.30am Mass for half an hour. We welcome new singers and musicians aged from 7 to 18. Come and join us praise God!

Contact person: Maxine Thompson  07903401107 

 Church Cleaning

There are five teams at present who take it turns to clean the church once a week. This is usually done on a Wednesday. We sweep and mop the entire floor, dust the benches, statues, the Stations of the Cross and the confessional. The carpet is swept and the brass is polished. The toilets are maintained by a contract cleaner. These tasks have to be done weekly. Depending on numbers in the group, it can take a couple of hours or more to sweep and mop the floor before any other work can be done. Two of the groups have an average age of 60 plus!  Contact person: Fifi   079327 64273

Church Flowers

At St. Andrew’s we have a small team who have taken on the responsibility of producing the floral displays which play such an important part in decorating the church. While the actual flower arranging itself needs to be done by people who have had at least some experience in the subject there are several other necessary tasks involved which require the assistance of a number of other helpers.  Contact person: Juliette 07958 537314

 Churches Together in Thornton Heath (CTTH)

Churches Together in Thornton Heath is an ecumenical organisation of 11 major Christian congregations in Thornton Heath, [St. Alban’s (Anglican), St. Andrew’s (RC), Downsview Methodist, Holy Saviour (Anglican), St. Jude’s (Anglican), St. Oswald’s (Anglican), Parchmore Methodist, St. Paul’s (Anglican), Pentecostal City Mission and Salvation Army]. Mersham Elim Church also takes part in events. CTTH organises joint events during the Week of Prayer for Christian unity and on Good Friday, but mostly encourages Christians to attend services and events at member congregations where there is a wider interest. CTTH is one of 13 Area Groups that make up Churches Together in The Borough of Croydon (CTBC).  Contact person: 

 Collectors and Counters

At each Sunday Mass there is collection taken up at the Offertory. In addition, on certain Sundays in the year, the Archbishop asks us to take up a second collection for some special cause. This means that each Sunday Mass needs to have its own team of collectors who, between them, will make sure that collection baskets are passed to each part of the congregation and make sure afterwards that the baskets are stored safely before the money is finally taken to where it must be counted. The parish also has four teams of counters who take it in turn each week to count all the money collected at each Mass. They must record the totals for each collection separately as well as the money emptied from each collection box in the church – SVP, Catholic Papers, etc.  Contact person for Offertory Collectors: – Mass Organiser Contact person for Money Counters: – Adele Rutledge – (020) 8653 6064

 Confirmation Programme

The confirmation course runs every year for young people in year 9 or above. It usually happens on the Sunday afternoons in Lent and Eastertide (4.00—5:30pm), and one Saturday away-day. The enrolment is advertised in the newsletter after Christmas. Adult confirmation of Baptised Catholics normally takes place during the Easter Vigil, and preparation for this is done during Lent.  Contact person: via Pastoral Team

 Cubs

The Cub Scouts is the next stage in Scouting for boys aged between eight years and ten and a half years. They meet at St. James the Great School on Thursday evenings. Like the Beavers, they too play games but also earn badges for many different interests the boys may have. We have a full pack of thirty-six boys. The Cubs are very successful and are holders of the District Football, Swimming and Sports Trophies. In the summer we run at least two camps which are always very well attended. Some of the places we have stayed at over the last few years are Oxford, Deal, Hendon and Buckmore Park. Contact person: Sarah Gater, Cub Scout Leader – (020) 8916 1144

Deanery Website

The address of the Deanery Website is croydoncatholics.org.uk As well as news from the Croydon deanery it contains information about each of the parishes and catholic schools in the deanery together with links to their websites. Contact address (e-mail): [email protected]  

Eucharistic Ministers

Eucharistic Ministers, or to give them their proper name Extraordinary (non-ordained) Ministers of the Eucharist, assist the celebrant at all masses, week-end and weekdays, in distributing communion. Some visit and give communion to people who are sick or housebound at home or in hospital. There are at the moment over eighty Ministers of the Eucharist at St Andrew’s. Contact via Pastoral Team

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is a small team of parishioners that meets 4 times a year. Its principal objective is to ensure that all donations are accurately accounted for and all items of expenditure are duly authorised by the Parish Priest. The accounts are completed by the parish accountant, audited by external auditors and annual accounts are filed with the Diocese of Southwark. Contact person: Albert Tang – 07703 263631

First Communion Classes

St Andrew’s First Communion classes meet on a Saturday morning from 10:00am to 11:15am in the church hall. Classes at present start after the school Autumn half-term and continue on through the year, meeting every Saturday, apart from school holidays, etc. to the end of June. Both children and parents are made aware that it is important that the child attends every class as the curriculum is on-going. The class format follows the book “God’s Greatest Gift” which has proved extremely successful in preparing the children to take their First Communion. A parental guidance book is provided to work in conjunction with the children’s own books. Regular parents’ meetings are held throughout the year with the Parish Priest and the Catechists are also present at these meetings. Contact person: Lesley Brennan 07588 550058

400 Club

The 400 Club is a monthly lottery, raising funds for our parish of St. Andrew’s. Membership is £2 per month. Half the money raised is paid as prizes to members while the rest goes to parish funds. Application forms are available in the church porch. Contact person: Jonathan Prins email: [email protected]

Ghanaian Community

The Ghanaian Community fosters the well being of all its members in their faith journey and encourages active participation in the life of the Church. Its aim is to bring cultural enrichment to the Parish Community Contact person: Errol & Angela Quagraine – (020) 8768 1462

Gift Aid

The Gift Aid scheme enables the Church to reclaim from Her Majesty’s Government the tax (e.g. Income Tax) that has already been paid on the money we choose to give to the Church. All we have to do is sign a form saying that we want the Church to claim the tax money – it doesn’t cost us anything more than we have already paid. We also encourage people to make their offering by standing order so as to ensure regular giving to the Church. Contact person: Albert Tang  020 8688 8703

 Goan Community

The Goans in Thornton Heath come under a banner of “Thornton Heath Goans”, an unregistered association / union. Every year we hold an Annual General Meeting and elect a working committee comprising president, secretary, treasurer, auditor and committee members. The only occasion we organise is to celebrate, in December, the feast of St. Francis Xavier, a Patron Saint of Goa. We organise a church service with a Mass on a Saturday followed by a social gathering in the church hall where over a hundred members and their guests attend our dance with a programme of musical and other entertainment for the night. Beside this yearly occasion, we have no other activities. However, the association president is always happy to visit any sick member either in hospital or in their own home, provided he is informed. Contact persons: Jennifer Da Silva (020) 8771 8749, Marie Burgess

 Guides

The 58th Croydon Guide Company meet on a Friday evening at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, between 7:00pm and 9:00 pm. The Guide programme is relatively new and the girls work on a variety of Challenges called ‘Go For It’. The girls also have a variety of Badges they can work on and develop skills, friendships and confidence. Because we have limited numbers and helpers we do have a waiting list and some girls are disappointed at not getting a place although we do tell parents that we are run the same way as any other Guide unit and, once their daughter is enrolled as a Guide, if she has had to join another unit she is more than welcome to join us at Church Parade. Contact person: Maggie — 07971 882753

Harvest Festival

Each year in early Autumn St. Andrew’s parishioners are invited to donate foods (both tinned and dried), personal cleaning items, washing items, etc. Each year the requirements are listed in our Newsletter and the goods are donated at all Masses on the “Harvest” weekend. These goods are distributed between two local charities working with homeless people in our area. Contact person: Frances Gilbert – (020) 8689 7319

Homeless Projects

St. Andrew’s has always been extremely supportive towards the work carried out by the Spires Centre in Streatham. The centre depends on donations of tinned foods, clean usable clothing, stationery items. Each year we have a collection weekend and the parishioners of St. Andrews donate unselfishly towards this wonderful cause. I got involved with Spires about eights years ago. The centre, located next to St. Leonard’s church is open during the week and at weekends and is open to all the homeless ladies, gentlemen, children and babies. Yes, it is true, even young children and babies are brought to the centre with their mothers for various reasons. To date it is thought that there are 410,000 homeless people in Britain, many of whom do not show up in official statistics – this number includes 12,000 families, many with small children. The Empty Homes Agency estimates that for every homeless person in Britain, there are seven properties left empty, representing a city bigger than Sheffield standing empty! Over the years Spires has progressed by leaps and bounds. They provide a hot meal at lunch time during week-days and on a Sunday. In addition to this, they also provide rough sleepers space for those who have been sleeping on the streets and on benches. Open access is also provided so that the homeless can come in and seek advice. The Centre also provides basic IT training as well as training and access to the internet for those who need it. A life skills programme is also run within the centre where the art of budgeting etc is taught. An over 50’s club attracts those who have many interests and gives them a chance to walk down memory lane. Music classes are provided for the creative artist. The centre is run by caring volunteers who have a vast array of skills and time to offer so if feel you can help please call them (on 020 8696 0943) or pay them a visit. Contact person: Juliette De Menezes – 07958 537314.

Hospital Chaplaincy

Fr. Len Tatt is the coordinator for the Roman Catholic Chaplaincy at the Croydon University Hospital, assisted by Sister Sheila. There is a named priest/deacon and team of Eucharistic Ministers for each ward. These work alongside the wider ecumenical chaplaincy team. It is important to stress that, if you (or a relative) are admitted to Croydon University Hospital, you should ask that the staff record your religion in the ward index. This will ensure that you receive regular pastoral visits while you are in hospital. It is easy for religion to be overlooked simply because of the rapid turnover of staff and the sheer number of patients passing (often very quickly) through the hospital.  Contact person: Sr. Sheila – 07588 550058

Justice and Peace Group

The Justice and Peace Group aims to raise awareness in the parish of the vital issues that cause injustice and war. We currently use three Sundays in the year to promote care for the homeless, racial justice and worldwide peace. Members are affiliated to many pressure groups and charities and take part in letter writing campaigns, signing petitions, lobbying Parliament and praying for peace and justice. We are active members of South London Citizens. We have a notice board in the church which regularly features information about issues of concern. We are trying to make the world a better place for all and we would welcome your support. We meet at 202, Melfort Road on the first Monday of each month. Contact person: Mary Cameron – (020) 8689 8360

Laundry Group

This is a team of volunteers who wash and iron the everyday linen used for Mass. It is done on a rota basis. We can always use more people.  Contact person: – Barbara Parfit – (020) 8771 5015

 Legion of Mary

The Group started at St. Andrew’s on 1st February 2012 and comes under the title of Our Lady of Mercy Praesidium. There are approximately 16 active members, 4 of whom hold the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Meetings take place every Wednesday from 7.30pm until 9.00pm. The Legion of Mary is a catholic lay apostolic organisation and activities are limited to the spiritual sphere. There are 9 auxiliary members, “the praying wing of the Legion of Mary”. At the moment they are limited to parish-based work but eventually hope to extend their works into the community—visiting the sick, the housebound, lapsed Catholics and reaching out to souls who are searching for God’s love. Contact Person: Ginny Dalgado (020) 8684 4983

LECTIO DIVINA   (SACRED READING)

 A method of biblical reflection.

This is an ancient method of reading the bible. A small group meet on Wednesdays from 6-7pm at St. Andrew’s Church hall, to share and reflect on Sacred Scripture. We use the Gospel reading for the following Sunday.

The session consists of :

• Reading/ Listening Meditation
•  Prayer
• Contemplation

All who participate agree that they experience a new and dynamic encounter with Christ

POPE BENEDICT encouraged this practice during a speech on the 16th September 2006 ending with these words: “I quote”  “If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church- I am convinced of it- a new spiritual springtime”.

If you would like to join us please call Maria (0208-660-6451), or (07720-444-940)

A warm welcome awaits you

Liturgy Committee

The Liturgy Committee is made up of : the Pastoral Team (Clergy and Sisters) and representatives of the choirs, readers, special ministers, uniform groups and children’s liturgy. The committee meets 5 times a year: before and after the two great feasts (Christmas and Easter) and an extra meeting to discuss general subjects. Contact person: Deacon Tony Flavin

 Maintenance Team

The group is involved in the day to day planned and emergency maintenance, security and implementing legislation which affects church buildings. This year’s work includes improvement projects like the Centenary Windows, refurbishing the sacristy and hall decoration. The group do not necessarily carry out the work themselves but prepare details to organise the work to be carried out. Meetings are held once a month. Expertise and a helping hand from parishioners are always welcome! Contact person: via the Parish Office

Marriage Preparation

Marriage Preparation sessions are run by married couples (Stephen & Brigid Beck and, Marie & Adrian Burgess, Jennifer & Andrew De Silva and Val & Maria Newey). They are run as and when required throughout the year in their own homes, which we feel makes it a more relaxed and comfortable environment. The sessions are informal and last for two evenings. We normally invite two engaged couples to attend at one time, so that they may benefit from each other’s experiences as well as our own. The main theme throughout the course is Communication in Marriage and our aim is to encourage engaged couples to talk to each other about all aspects of their relationships. Contact person: via Pastoral Team (See Page 2)

Mini Bus Sunday Service

A small team of drivers using the parish minibus bring those parishioners who find difficulty in getting to Mass, to both the 9:30am and 11:30am Sunday Masses. (More drivers would be welcome.)  Contact person: Frances Gilbert – (020) 8689 7319

 Missio

(formerly known as A.P.F. The Association for the Propagation of the Faith)

Pauline-Marie Jaricot, (born in Lyons, 22 July 1799), founded the A.P.F. It is now the Pope’s own mission worldwide. Supporters of Missio in Thornton Heath take a collecting box to put in a suitable location and these boxes are handed in, emptied and reissued once a year. There is also a magazine that comes out four times a year. Contact person: Bernadette De Menezes-Dias (020) 8409 0169

 Nigerian Catholic Community

The Nigerian Catholic Community was formed to encourage and support parishioners who are either originally from Nigeria, have Nigerian heritage or are married to Nigerians. The association encourages the spiritual growth or its members as Catholics. It supports and participates in the activities of the parish. A general meeting of the association is held every 3 months. Contact Person : Esther Oyeyinka ( 020) 8683 4352

Parish Council

 Mission Statement of St Andrew’s Parish Pastoral Council.

The Parish Pastoral Council is a representative body of the faithful, working in close partnership with the parish priest and other members of the Pastoral Team in order to discern the will of God and to promote the mission of Christ and his Church both locally and in union with the wider Church. The PPC meets monthly, usually on the third Monday of the month except August, with one awayday each year for general planning and/or to discuss any forthcoming events. The Parish Priest is the president of the PPC. Meetings are minuted and a copy is posted in the church porch. The PPC may co-opt people for particular or several meetings in order to share their expertise. The Parish Council works on a consensus basis, and any differences that arise are resolved in an atmosphere of mutual respect and goodwill. Contact person: Maureen Jones, Tel: 020 8239 0615.

Rainbows

Rainbows meet every Friday of term time at St. James the Great School from 5:00pm to 6:15pm. The girls are aged from 5 to 7 years. Each meeting incorporate various activities from the Rainbow programme, which include games, songs, crafts, quest time and no heat cooking. We have a lot of fun.  Contact person: Marie Burgess – (020) 8240 7385

 R.C.I.A.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process by which people who want to become Catholics are initiated into the Church. There are four stages in the process: Enquiry Period, Catechumenate, Period of Purification and Enlightenment, and Mystagogia. When the candidates are ready for the next stage, a liturgical Rite is celebrated among the parish community. Baptisms, Receptions into the Church, Confirmations and First Eucharists are celebrated at the Easter Vigil. Members: a Core Team of five or six people who prepare the topics to be discussed, Welcomers who attend the sessions, take part in the discussions and help the candidates. Some of them might become sponsors and form a tighter link with the candidates. The Candidates include some who are not yet baptised and others who come from another denomination into which they have been baptised. Meetings. We meet every week, on Tuesdays from 8.00pm to 9.30pm. Contact person: Gerrie Ozah (020) 8653 7353

 R.C.I.C.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Children. We are a small group of Catechists, always looking for more helpers, who share their faith with children who would like to be baptised or received into the Catholic Church. We have two groups, 7 – 10 years and 11-16 years. Contact person: Sr Jennie

Readers

Parish readers proclaim the word of God at Sunday and weekday Masses. They also take part in other liturgical events especially the Church’s major festivals. An ability to read clearly is a major requirement. From time to time recruitment is carried out and training and practice is made available. Readers must be Confirmed Catholics. Reading is organised in advance by rota. Contact person (for Sunday Mass readers): Janice Bingham – (020) 8771 4206 or: Maureen Jones – (020) 8239 0615

 Repository

A small selection of Bibles, prayer books and devotional articles can be bought from the repository which is open after each of the Sunday Masses.

St. James the Great RC School

St James the Great School is the parish primary school also serving St Bartholomew’s parish in Norbury. It is a voluntary aided primary and nursery school in the trusteeship of the Archdiocese of Southwark. The school, which is located in Windsor Road, Thornton Heath, provides education for boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 11. The school’s Headteacher is Mr. Stephen Beck and Deputy Headteacher, Mrs Claire Murphy. The school’s Mission Statement states that: “Our school, as a place of learning, belongs to the parish communities of Thornton Heath and Norbury and exists to educate the children of the community with the Gospel values, traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Faith at the centre of its ethos.” Applications for admission should be made directly to the school. An Admissions Pack including and application form can be obtained form the school or via the school’s website www.stjamesthegreat.org Contact person: Mrs. Maria Marchant (PA to the Headteacher) – (020) 8771 3424

St. Jude’s Prayer Group

The purpose of the St Jude’s Prayer group is to foster devotion to St Jude Thaddeus, Apostle and Martyr, to encourage vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, to help parents and relatives understand the true meaning of priestly and religious vocations, to assist and support the parish priest and to promote the spiritual progress and apostolic spirit or the members. Membership of the group is open to all Catholics who are prepared to honour St Jude and are willing to continue his apostolate on earth by helping in the work of conversion, to bring souls to our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. St Jude’s prayer group meets on the second and fourth Sunday of the month at the convent immediately after the 11:30am Mass. Contact person: Chika Atimomo  07930 547320

Scouts

The 26th Croydon Scout Group was formed in 1933 and consisted of a Wolf Cub Pack. A Scout Troup was formed a short time later followed by a Senior Scout Section. It has run regularly since, even meeting during the war. A Beaver Colony was formed in 1986 to cater for the six to eight year olds. In recent months we have been the best attended group in the district. We are affiliated and sponsored by St. Andrew’s Church and hold parade with all the uniformed on the second Sunday of every month. We support the Catholic Children’s Society by organising the Annual Gift Service at St. Andrew’s Church in December. Each section runs to programme, laid out by the Scout Association, suitable for the age group. The Scout Section is for boys aged from ten and a half to fourteen years. They meet at St Andrew’s Church Hall on Monday evenings. The leaders run many activities for the boys. These are varied and challenging. They have approximately sixteen boys. They attend different camps through the year, often joining the cubs in the summer for a week away. They enjoy games as much as the Beavers but also work for badges. Over the last few years the Scouts have also been successful in the District, winning the swimming and cooking competitions. Contact person: Ian Carlyle – (020) 8239 0382

Secular Franciscan Order

The Secular Franciscan Order, formerly the Third Order of St. Francis, is for those laity and secular clergy who feel called to live the Gospel life of Jesus after the manner of St. Francis of Assisi. St Mary of the Angels is the nearest SFO Fraternity to St. Andrew’s. Meetings are held monthly, on the fourth Sunday of the month from 2:30pm—4.30pm in the Parish Room at Saint Mary’s Church, West Croydon CRO 2AR For further information email: [email protected]

Social Committee

The Social Committee has been running since 1987. It was originally started as a way of making much needed funds for St. Andrew’s and the parish priest at that time, Fr. John Naughton thought it would be a good way to get parishioners together. The Social Committee started off with fourteen members; we organised events such as weekly ballroom dancing sessions, country rambles, a weekly swimming group, theatre outings and socials/dances. Some events are more supported than others. We recently held a Race Night to raise funds for the new minibus, and this was a great success. We have a dedicated team of committee members, but are always happy to have more help. Contact person: Christine Monahan – (020) 8684 4648

South London Citizens (SLC)

This is a cross community group that St Andrew’s is a member of. SLC organises people from all over the community to improve life for everyone in our community. Some of the larger campaigns are about things like ‘The London Living Wage’, ‘Strangers Into Citizens’ and ‘Action for More Affordable Housing’. There are also smaller, more local issues but every issue is proposed and agreed on by the membership. For us it is a way of putting our faith into action. Contact person: 

S.P.U.C.

The Society of the Protection of Unborn Children was formed after the 1967 Abortion Act in order to tighten the law which then virtually allowed abortion on demand. The aim of S.P.U.C. is to work towards protecting life from conception to natural death. Members who work in this parish belong to the Croydon branch of S.P.U.C. and have for some years now run fund-raising events – jumble sales, bring and buys. etc., and organised the white flower collection in the church. They also distribute copies of the Pro-Life Times after each Mass, every other month, to keep parishioners informed about pro-life matters. The group is always looking for new members to join our friendly committee which meets once a month at a member’s house, or new helpers to assist with one or some of the above activities. Contact person: Gill Gilhooly – (020) 8679 3475

Society of St Vincent de Paul (S.V.P.)

The Society is a world R.C. organisation with its headquarters in Paris where it was founded by a group of French students in 1833. It has been established in the UK since 1884. Its aim is to give support to those in need, regardless of race or creed, by way of food, clothing, furniture, etc. Membership is open to persons of all denominations who have a genuine desire to help those less fortunate in their community. At local level the SVP operates in conferences attached to the RC parish church. At present there are ten conferences in the Croydon Borough. St. Andrew’s conference has a twin conference in India. We give £120 pounds annually to support our twin. We meet weekly, except in August, on Thursday at 8:00pm in the presbytery. We are looking for new recruits – everyone is welcome. Contact via Pastoral Team

Under Fives Group

St. Andrew’s under fives group meets on Tuesday mornings during term time in the church hall between 9:30am and 11:15am. Admission is £1.50 per adult. Children under the age of five years with their parent/carers are welcome to participate in activities, free-play and singing. Tea and coffee is provided for the adults and a snack for children. The aim of the group is to provide the children with an educational, social and spiritual experience and to create a sense of community among carers and their children within the parish. Contact person: Maggie Turner – (020) 8240 7129

Youth Club

Our Youth Club meets twice a month on the first and third Sundays. We meet after the evening Mass for two hours from 6.45 until 8.45pm. It is for young people of secondary school age and is aimed at providing young people with the opportunity to come together within a parish set-up for social activities, games and also outings and trips. The group is led by a number of volunteers who have been helping out in various ways since it was set up in 2008. Sessions usually consist of time for games as well as a short time for discussion. Games include indoor football, table tennis, pool, board games etc. Apart from our normal gatherings in the parish hall we have also organised recently a bowling trip, a football match against another youth group and an ice skating trip. Contact Person: John Camileri (020) 768 5159 or 07986 533292