The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.
~ Luke 4:18
The Parish News & Events page needs your participation
Welcome to the News & Events page
We welcome news stories from the parish for the News & Events page of the new website. Have you been to the pantomime, on a pilgrimage, or attended an inter-faith event? We want your photos and your stories! We can provide professional editing, so don't be shy if you don't consider yourself a "writer". Your story is valuable! Alternately, you may want to share your journey in faith to encourage others. Has your faith helped you overcome adversity, or revealed a new path in life? We'd love to hear about it! Thank you for sharing your stories. Please send your stories and photos to the Parish Office.
CAFOD Our Common Home
“All it takes is one good person to restore hope.”
~ Pope Francis Laudato Si
Upcoming Events
Oberammergau 2020
Start planning now for the trip of a lifetime! The Oberammeragau Passion play commemorating the village's salvation from the bubonic plague in 1634 is performed every ten years. There are places available on Pax Travel's coach trip from 16th-22nd September 2020. The cost is £1179 per person. Please email Bernadette Cawley on: blivesey@outlook.com or ring her on: 01274 826343 for a brochure.
Parish Garden Party/BBQ Saturday 7th September 2019
The Parish Garden Party will be held this year at St Aidan’s between 11.00am and 3.00pm. Please put the date in your diary now and make sure we have a good turn out to make it a great success. We will need lots of people to help. If you are able to volunteer please contact Kath Hartley (07749 210 231), Jeanette or Caroline (01274 714285) or Nick in the Parish Office. More details nearer the date.
Recent Events
Easter Flowers
Flower arrangement for Easter.
Some beautiful Eastertide flower arrangements from the two churches of the Parish.
Visit to one of Bradford's historic places of worship
Bradford Tree of Life Synagogue
Fr Keiron and parishioners were part of a group organised by the Bradford Interfaith Prayers for Peace invited by the congregation of the Bradford Tree of Life Synagogue to attend their Sabbath Morning Service on 23rd March. The Synagogue is a beautiful but often overlooked building on Bowland Street in Manningham. It has long played a leading role in building interfaith relations in the district, out of all proportion to the size of its membership.
Rabbi Douglas Charing of Leeds led the service and Rudi Leavor, the well known Cantor the singing. The words of the service in both Hebrew and English took us immediately into the religious origins of Jesus and of our own liturgy, in its prayers, use of the Psalms and readings from the Torah scrolls, the whole a reverent and moving expression of the abiding faith of our Jewish neighbours in the living and joyful presence of the Word of God in Scripture.
Our visitors stood round the reading Desk at the end of the service with its Hebrew words: “The Tree of Life” a reference to the life and joy to be found in hearing the words of God in the Torah. In October 2018, eleven worshippers were gunned down at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. The formerly named ‘Bradford Synagogue ‘ decided to change its name to ‘The Tree if Life Bradford Synagogue’ in a linked memorial to those who died in America. With thanks to the Bradford Jewish Community and the Bradford Interfaith Prayers for Peace for what was a much appreciated experience and share in the life of our Jewish friends.
Winter Shelter
Volunteers have fun in the kitchen.
Another successful Winter Shelter week came to end during the first week in March when we bid our guests goodbye for another year.
Each year our parish hosts a shelter for up to twelve homeless individuals in St Aidan's church hall. This is part of an interdenominational charity called Innchurches . Volunteers are involved in driving the minibus that collects the guests each evening, in cooking breakfasts, in providing delicious home cooked evening meals each day and in providing night support. Guests are also provided with games and entertainment, a visit from a GP and a complementary pedicure.
Parishioners who are unable to volunteer contribute through a collection and by praying for the success of the week. Our guests are on a journey back to a more regular life. While we and all the other churches offer them a home over the winter the Innchurches charity is sorting out their long terms needs, jobs, housing and help with other problems.
Guests and volunteers alike have enjoyed a wonderful uplifting week in which we have been able to demonstrate our love for our fellow man in Jesus' name.
Panto
Children of the parish enjoy meeting the panto stars.
Around 90 parishioners, both young and old had a wonderful time at the parish trip to the panto. We all enjoyed a fantastic afternoon with ice cream in the interval and lots of laughs. The panto was excellent with audience participation and plenty of songs to join in with. The altar servers really love this treat and are looking forward to next year already!
Parish Stories
WIP (WORK IN PROGRESS).
Our Parish Stories section is a WIP and under construction. This section will be populated as and when contents become available.
News from the Catholic World
Holy August
A blog post from the (US) National Catholic Register ( Camillo,01/08/19) reminds Catholics that August is the month with the most Saints' Days in a row. For 13 days from the 4th of August (memorial of the beloved confessor St. John Vianney of Arls) to the feast of St. Stephen of Hungary on the 16th, every day is dedicated to a saint. The only Holy Day of Obligation is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the 15th August, which in the Eastern rite churches is known as the 'Dormition' and is preceded by a 'mini-Lent', a two week fast dedicated to the Virgin. For our Parish, August 9th is especially important as that is the memorial to our patron, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a brief biography of whom can be found on the History page of this website.
Zambian Bishops Call for Peace
Zambian Bishops call for peace-keeping and genuine reconciliation in a country divided by violent political disputes and increasing humanitarian crisis caused by crop failure and food shortages (Catholic Herald 03/08/19). In their pastoral letter published in July, the Bishops asked Zambians to engage in soul searching and prayer and to bring an end to hostilities, stating "We urge everyone to live in harmony, peace and love with one another". Let us remember Zambia in our prayers, making our petition for peace in Zambia and in our own homes and hearts.
Care for the Dying
St. Mary's University (Twikenham) has produced a guide called Deathbed Etiquette which provides practical advice from hospital chaplains, palliative care staff, relatives and friends. Many people are anxious or frightened when called on to care for or to visit a dying friend or relative. This new guide helps family and friends to view dying as a normal life stage rather than a clinical event and provides sensitive and practical advice about how to support and reassure the loved one reaching the end of life.
Caring for Creation
Dr Kevin Hardagen, of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice in Dublin, proposes that redundant churches be used as community spaces focused on creation care rather than being sold off to property developers (The Tablet 02/08/19). Gardens could be 're-wilded" and seeded with native wild flowers to encourage bee and butterfly populations. Planting stands of hardwood trees is another possibility as this would contribute to carbon sequestration. Reiterating the importance of combining faith with social action, Dr. Hardagen states that "the climate crisis is an opportunity for the Church to integrate its worship into the heart of the community".
